"Hear my cry, O God attend unto my prayer. When my heart
is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Psalm 61:1-2 KJV
It's the universal cry of humanity, especially when problems and troubles and devastating news comes our way...
is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I."
Psalm 61:1-2 KJV
It's the universal cry of humanity, especially when problems and troubles and devastating news comes our way...
And no human being is exempt from this. It's a heart-wrenching cry which originates within the depths of one's soul. "Why God, why?"
This was the topic of last night's Bible study, and it will probably be next week's topic as well. We are doing a study on suffering - why terrible things and other vexing problems come our way in life, oftentimes when we're not expecting it.
So I began the study by having the men share an experience they may have had in which they found themselves overwhelmed with feelings of stress, worry, fear, sorrow, or any other negative emotion they could think of. Instantly, lots of hands went up. So one by one we went around the room sharing our stories. I shared mine, as well.
The theme of the study, I told the men, is why we undergo these seasons of suffering, and how to overcome them. Also, what we need to learn from them so that we grow and develop to higher levels of spiritual maturity. In addition, that we may also develop greater levels of endurance in order to better handle whatever hardships that may come our way in the future.
My lead verses were John 16:33, where Jesus said to his followers, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer I have overcome the world."
While the second key Scripture was Romans 8:18. Here the apostle Paul, while under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned these words, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."
The Bible has a lot to say about suffering and how to deal with it and triumph over it. "The Lord Jesus knew all about suffering firsthand," I said to the class. Isaiah chapter 53 in the Old Testament, I believe, clearly portrays Messiah Jesus as the "suffering servant," and as a "man of sorrows" who was well acquainted with grief.
When the study came to an end, I told the enthusiastic group that I hope to continue on with this subject the next time we meet.
D.B.
This was the topic of last night's Bible study, and it will probably be next week's topic as well. We are doing a study on suffering - why terrible things and other vexing problems come our way in life, oftentimes when we're not expecting it.
So I began the study by having the men share an experience they may have had in which they found themselves overwhelmed with feelings of stress, worry, fear, sorrow, or any other negative emotion they could think of. Instantly, lots of hands went up. So one by one we went around the room sharing our stories. I shared mine, as well.
The theme of the study, I told the men, is why we undergo these seasons of suffering, and how to overcome them. Also, what we need to learn from them so that we grow and develop to higher levels of spiritual maturity. In addition, that we may also develop greater levels of endurance in order to better handle whatever hardships that may come our way in the future.
My lead verses were John 16:33, where Jesus said to his followers, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer I have overcome the world."
While the second key Scripture was Romans 8:18. Here the apostle Paul, while under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned these words, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."
The Bible has a lot to say about suffering and how to deal with it and triumph over it. "The Lord Jesus knew all about suffering firsthand," I said to the class. Isaiah chapter 53 in the Old Testament, I believe, clearly portrays Messiah Jesus as the "suffering servant," and as a "man of sorrows" who was well acquainted with grief.
When the study came to an end, I told the enthusiastic group that I hope to continue on with this subject the next time we meet.
D.B.