Healing the Wounds of Trauma

Get feedback in the large group and add anything in this section that has not already been mentioned.

A. God uses suffering to purify our faith. When gold is heated over a very hot fire, the bits of dirt in it rise to the top. These can be skimmed off, leaving pure gold. Suffering is like fire: it is painful, but it results in purifying our faith in God (1 P 1.6–7; Jas 1.2–4). It makes us yearn for God’s kingdom (Ro 8.18; 2 Co 4.16–18; Ro 5.3–5; 1 P 3.14–17). God’s love is stronger than any suffering. In terrible situations when everything else is taken from us, we are assured that God’s grace is all we really need (2 Co 12.9–10). B. God turns evil into good. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but God used this experience to deliver the Israelites from famine (Gn 50.18–20). God turned the greatest evil that was ever done into the greatest good for us all when Jesus was crucified on the cross (Acts 3.13–15; Phil 2.8–11). God works in ways we don’t always understand, but we can always trust his character (Ro 8.28; 11.33–36). In the end, Satan will be completely defeated (Rev 20.10). C. God comforts us in our suffering so we can comfort others. God comforts us when we suffer. He holds us in his arms (Is 40.11). He comforts us with his Word (Ps 119.50, 92). We can pass on this same comfort to others when they suffer (2 Co 1.3–5). 5. Why is it difficult to believe in God’s goodness when we suffer? In addition to cultural beliefs, there are other things that can keep us from believing in God’s goodness when we suffer.

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If God Loves Us, Why Do We Suffer?