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November 2, 2012
Tragedy and Suffering
What to do in the face of hardship
When tragedy strikes, our faith can be rocked. Whether it's a natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy, the loss of a friend, a difficult situation with a child, or a change in plans, we may begin questioning the goodness of God. And that's one of the reasons that living in community is so important—we can receive support and encouragement in trying times.
Use one of these meeting add-ons to ground your group members' faith:
God's Grace and Strength
Use subgroups to help group members explore God's grace in the midst of hardship.Journal for the Journey
Explore keeping a blessings journal to remember all God's done.
We've even put together a free playlist for you on Grooveshark that's called: "Even When It's Hard." Play it when you're doing the activity "God's Grace and Strength," or whenever your group members need to ground their faith.
SmallGroups.com also offers several Bible studies that cover this topic, including:
2 Corinthians: Hard Knocks, Unbreakable Faith (4 session study)
Learn a perspective on hardship and suffering that is needed in today's world.Living In Between (3 session study)
Deuteronomy may be a painfully honest book, but it promises God's presence through the pain.Our Powerful Helper (6 session study)
God provides comfort when you need it most, and the power to persevere.Perspectives on Suffering (4 session study)
Investigate how we can remain faithful in suffering by God's grace.
Is your group struggling right now? Handling Tragedy in Your Small Group provides help.
posted by Amy Jackson on November 2, 2012 8:00 AM
