Chapter Four

I Can't Take It Anymore!

God, Get Me Through This Suffering

Starting Off:	To Memorize: God will not let you be tested beyond your strength. With your trial, He will also provide you with a means of escape, so that you will be able to endure it . (I Corinthians 10:13). You may not recognize the answer to this prayer when it happens! For instance: the neighbor who comforts you when your dearly-loved pet dies may not seem like a heaven-sent “escape hatch” from heartache, but that's probably exactly what he or she is. That shoulder you cried on, the understanding hug, the cup of tea; all are little gifts of restoration from God. He also has answers to those bigger griefs and trials that are so hard to understand. Do you know it's okay to ask God why bad things happen? Jesus asked “why” when He was enduring the torment of the cross and separation from God as He took our sins onto His dying body. There was no answer then, but when Sunday came, His tomb was empty. What other religion has a God who truly understands human pain because He, Himself, has suffered it? In a human body. With real blood and torn flesh. Has any other god volunteered to do that for you? No. There is none. Only Christ. And He showed us this: no matter what we're going through, God is there, even when He's silent. Anthony says that this prayer is not a way out of suffering itself, but that we can count on being consoled and fortified by God…if we ask for help. Jesus, our high priest, understands about our struggles with temptation, too, because He faced the same things! So, if we ask, He will meet us with grace to help us in our time of testing. (See Hebrews 4:16). So be alert for the “escape hatch” He provides through His Word, through His ministering people and through the presence of His divine Comforter—the Holy Spirit. You may not need this prayer right now if things are going well, but never forget it. Keep it fresh in your heart, ready to use when that rainy day comes around.
Reconnecting:	Think over your time since the last session. As you asked God to outdo you in generosity, what has happened? Have you found opportunities to give? To receive? Tell about them. Have you read Chapter four, made notes and answered the questions in the Study Guide? Then it's time to…
Talk About This:	•  Can you now recognize some ways God provided an “escape hatch” of comfort for you in a time of trouble? What did He do, or whom did He send to you? Anthony says: Helping others is the closest thing there is to a “cure-all” in life. •  Has God ever used you to help someone else through their suffering? What did you do? Did you realize you were God's man or woman for the job? •  The next time you experience grief or pain, will you try this cure-all? (P.74) Would you have any trouble finding someone to try it out on? Where would you look? Anthony says: God always gives us a way out. Not a way out of the suffering itself—but from the utter, black hopelessness that suffering can lead us into. •  In what two ways do people miss finding God's way out? What sometimes happens to these people? (P. 65) •  After reading this chapter, do you think you have a clearer picture of why we have suffering in this world? What went wrong in the perfect world God created? (Page 68, 69) •  When mankind left the protection of God's side, what did they lose? What did they expose themselves to? How do you think that affects you? (P,69) •  At some time or another, everyone suffers. What is the difference between the suffering of atheists and believers? (Page75) •  How did Jesus himself show us that, after the suffering, everything really will be all right in the end? (Page 72, 73.)
Action:	This is the time to comfort, counsel and pray for any in the Group who are suffering. The needs may be great or small, but please feel free to share them. Pray for one another one-on-one, or break into smaller groups of three or four. Pray for Christians world-wide who are experiencing persecution for their faith. They need your compassion and prayer support! Worship the Lord and give thanks for His suffering for you! You can worship silently, or by singing together, or praying, or reading some praise Psalms aloud to the Lord. This is a good practice for every session because it brings us right into God's Presence: Psalm 100:4 tells us we can enter his gates with thanksgiving and come into His courts with praise! He is there, waiting for our response to his availability. Pray the prayer! Ask God to get you through your suffering, if you need that right now. Ask God to use you as his instrument to minister to someone else's suffering. Then watch for every opportunity. When it happens, write it down so you can share with the Group.
Closing Prayer:	Lord, we bring you all the things we're suffering right now; the little pains and the big tragedies; our grief over our sins and failures. Because you understand what it means to suffer, we know You will help us in our need. We're trusting in Your sure word, Your infinite patience and Your everlasting grace. Give us the sense always to cry for your help so You can send wise and caring friends to lean on, and most of all so that you will send us more of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter from heaven. And, Lord, make us Your comforters to those around us who are hurting, discouraged or in despair. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Assignment:	Read Chapter 5. Memorize the Scripture. Be ready to share your notes and your answers to the Talk About This section. Be ready to share the answers to all the special prayers you've been learning about and praying. The Group needs to hear them and rejoice with you.