Never a Bad Plan(Lesson 3 of 4)

Felt Need:I would like to understand why bad things happen in life.

Doctrine:Job

The students understand that asking God questions is OK and to learn that God is bigger than every trial or circumstance so they can always trust Him.

Isaiah 55:8-9

God’s thoughts and ways are what?


THE FELT NEED:I would like to understand why bad things happen in life.

Puzzle game

  • Our life is like a puzzle in many ways.We don’t get to see how it’s going to look in the end, but we do get a better picture as the pieces connect.
  • Many people think that if they are going through troubled times it is simply because God is not happy with them.The puzzle piece just doesn’t fit.
  • Why do bad things happen to good people?

THE TRUTH:

1.The Challenge – Why do bad things happen to good people?

•Job was like most of us and he was looking for answers in the midst of his suffering.

a.Job questions God

•Why didn’t I die at birth? (Job 3:1-3)

•I wish God would just get this over with (Job 6:9),

•How do I ask God what He is doing? (Job 9:12)

•Who tells God what to do? (Job 23:13)

•Where is God in all of this? (Job 23:3)

b.Friends’ false assumptions

•His friends believed that Job was suffering because God punishes sin, so it is logical that Job had done something wrong and the punishment was deserved.

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•If we have a proper relationship with God, everything we experience comes together for good.

2.Why is there suffering?

a.A consequence of sin (Galatians 6:7, 8)

•It is true we may experience those painful times because God is dealing with sin in our life.

•This is often referred to as the principle of sowing and reaping.

b.A means of loving correction (Proverbs 3:11, 12)

•It is true that discipline is uncomfortable or even painful, but the results are for our benefit.

c.God’s test (James 1:2-4)

•God might allow suffering in our life is so that he can test or prove us.

•This type of suffering usually is to help us grow spiritually and helps us depend on God more.

d.A godly example to others (Job 1:8)

•There are times when suffering reveals to you or someone else God and His power.

•How a person goes through suffering is observed by others and can reveal faith and dependence on God.

3.God answers Job

a.God responds to Job questions (Job 13:22 and Job 38:1).

•God does not answer Job’s questions with statements but responds by asking lots of rhetorical questions; questions that only God can answer.

b.God answers using nature to demonstrate His power

•Nature and creation help us to begin to understand just how big and awesome God is.

•Job 38:4 – Where were you when I created the earth?

•Job 38:35 – Can you send out lightning and tell it where to go?

•Job 38:41 – Who provides food for the ravens

•Job 39:27 – Do you command the eagle to soar and to nest high? Job doesn’t know how to respond after God answers him because he is humbled and has fresh understanding of the awesome power of God.

•When we start to see God as He is, we shrink and our problems shrink to their rightful place and then we trust this awesome God who never has a bad plan.

THE CONNECTION:

  • When you can’t figure out the “why” of a trial, trust the fact that God does have a purpose and that He wants to use it in your life to make your view of Him bigger.
  • When we do face those difficult times, it would be good if we think about these questions:

1.Is this a consequence of sin?

2.Is there something God is lovingly trying to correct?

3.Am I being tested?

4.Can I be a godly example to others?

THE DECISION:

Sooner or later every one of us will experience some form of suffering. Each person must determine how they will respond. Will you trust that God never has a bad plan?

God’s Sovereignty:God’s supreme authority and rule over His creation.

  • Order 3 similar but different children puzzles (6-10 pieces)
  • 2 tables for the puzzle game
  • Device to show video–“Louie Giglio on the Star Maker”.
  • PowerPoint for this lesson

Dockery, D. S., Butler, T. C., Church, C. L., Scott, L. L., Ellis Smith, M. A., White, J. E., & Holman Bible Publishers (Nashville, T. . (1992). Holman Bible Handbook (p. 311). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 311). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Lewis, T., Zöckler, O., & Evans, L. J. (2008). A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Job (p. 288). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Richards, L.,& Richards, L.O.(1987). The Teacher’s Commentary (pp320-323). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books

Roy B. Zuck, “Job,” inThe Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1985), 718.

Bible Hub – Job Summary by Jay Smith website

Sparknotes – Bible: The Old Testament website

Eight Explanations for Suffering Found in the Biblewebsite

Additional Teacher Resources:

Trust His Heart by Babbie Mason

Brad’s Testimony


Puzzle game.Select two even teams with two-five students per team. Have the puzzles dumped out and on one table. Have another table ten-fifteen feet away.Don’t let the teams see what the completed pictures looks like.The goal is for a team to assemble a complete puzzle one piece at a time.All players start at the puzzle piece table. The 1st player takes a puzzle piece and puts it on the table. When they return and tag the next player, they can take a piece from the pile and try to fit it to the initial puzzle piece.If they can’t make it fit, they return with one piece and tag the next player.Continue the process until a puzzle is completed. Have prizes for the winning team.

Make sure the puzzles are very simple twenty four to thirty pieces maximum. Doing a search on Amazon for “25 piece puzzles” will bring up multiple, inexpensive items you can choose from, or bring one from home.

Our life is like a puzzle in many ways.We don’t get to see how it’s going to look in the end, but we do get a better picture as the pieces connect.It is difficult trying to figure out why things happen or don’t happen.Our study of the Book of Job helps us know that it is OK to ask God questions but not to question His motives or His character.We will see that God is the answer to our questions about difficult times.

Perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions when suffering, bad times, or persecution come is, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”The Book of Job gives us a better perspective on the answers to those types of questions.Almost all of the book is focused on the questions “Why?” and “How come?”In fact, if we had not been able to see the conversation between God and Satan in the beginning of the book, Job’s story would be a puzzle to us.When we can’t see how the pieces fit together, it is difficult to see the whole picture.It doesn’t make sense!

Many people think that if they are going through troubled times it is simply because God is not happy with them.The puzzle piece just doesn’t fit.They think God sends good things when we are good and bad things when we do something bad.Job shows us this is not true.By the end of this lesson you should have your answer. So, why do bad things happen to good people?


1.The Challenge – Why do bad things happen to good people?

  • After thirty eight chapters Job is going to begin to see the puzzle pieces of his life coming together.As we look back to see how Job reached this point, he has gone through an emotional and physical journey that we can’t really comprehend.He had lost all of his possessions, his family, and his health. Then his friends arrived to comfort him but added confusion by attacking Job and his integrity. Job was like most of us, and he was looking for answers in the midst of his suffering.

a.Job questions God

Job was sure that he was still a man of integrity and that he had done nothing to cause his suffering.Both Job and his friends were seeking the answer to the question “Why?”That is the question almost every person who is suffering or facing trials asks. At this point Job was at his very lowest point both physically and emotionally. Job knew he hadn’t done anything wrong. He knew God never has a bad plan but still couldn’t figure out why he was suffering.

Job’s frustration shows in some of his statements and questions.Listen to some and see how Job is thinking. Have you ever asked these questions?

  • Why didn’t I die at birth? (Job 3:1-3)
  • I wish God would just get this over with (Job 6:9),
  • How do I ask God what He is doing? (Job 9:12)
  • Who tells God what to do? (Job 23:13)
  • Then he asks the big question, “Where is God in all of this?” (Job 23:3)

(Have a student read Job 23:3). Job desperately is trying to figure out God’s plan.Although he can’t figure out what is happening or why he is suffering, he is desperate enough to ask questions of God and seek God’s answer. It is important to note that he never attacks or questions God’s character.God IS the answer!

b.Friends’ false assumptions

•Job’s friends had a different idea of what was going on.They are convinced that they know the “why” of Job’s suffering.His friend’s believed that Job was suffering because God punishes sin, so it is logical that Job had done something wrong and the punishment was deserved.Job knows that they are wrong.So, why was all of this happening?

You have may have been there yourself, asking such questions as “Why me?” or “When is it going to end? What is God doing?”Maybe you’ve made some bad assumptions, too, or you’ve been led by others to believe things about God and your trials that just aren’t right.When things seem really bad, you may even be asking, “If God is not punishing me, then what is going on?”Here’s your answer.

•(Read Romans 8:28) This verse helps us understand that if we have a proper relationship with God, everything we experience comes together for good. Events and situations don’t just happen.We may go through trials and suffering as a part of His bigger plan. We just need to learn to trust God, as hard as it may be in some really tough situations.

2.Why is there suffering?

There are several reasons we may experience suffering or trials.

a.A consequence of sin (Galatians 6:7, 8)

(Have a student read Galatians 6:7-8)

•It is true we may experience those painful times because God is dealing with sin in our life.This is often referred to as the principle of sowing and reaping.All of us fall under God’s spiritual and moral standards.If we break the standard, we should expect to pay the penalty.It’s pretty simple to understand. If you go speeding through a quiet neighborhood with a speed limit that you are not obeying, you should expect to be pulled over by the local police officer.Unless someone is very gracious you can expect to pay a fine.You will pay the penalty for not following the established law.

If you break God’s standards you should not expect to be exempt from the consequences.If you choose to sin, you are choosing to suffer!We can’t blame God for our wrong decisions or choices. God never has a bad plan.It is by our bad choices or actions we can bring suffering into our lives.

b.A means of loving correction (Proverbs 3:11-12)

(Have a student read Proverbs 3:11-12)

•Let’s face it.Most of us don’t like to get disciplined!Being disciplined isn’t usually something we look forward to.At the same time we know that those giving us the discipline are doing it for our good; they are trying to help us.We are told to not despise or reject God’s discipline because He does it out of love. God never has a bad plan.Just like a father disciplines in who he delights; there are times when, in love, God allows some trial or suffering into our life in order to help us prevent or avoid greater suffering.Like the little child who is disciplined wandering into the street.The moment of being punished isn’t pleasant, but it is better than getting hit by a car!It is true that discipline is uncomfortable or even painful, but the results are for our benefit.

c.God’s test (James 1:2-4)

(Have a student read James 1:2-4)

•Another reason that God might allow suffering in our life is so that He can test or prove us.This type of suffering usually is to help us grow spiritually and helps us depend on God more.We are told to be glad for the trials that come into our life because they help us grow and mature. God never has a bad plan.He wants us to continue to grow stronger and to be more fruitful.

The purpose of a test at school is to be sure you have learned or mastered the subject or content.In other words, you qualify for more advanced subject matter when you pass a test. You demonstrate that you’ve grown in your mastery of the subject, and you’re ready for bigger challenges. If we don’t pass the test we need to study more.In a similar way, your testing or trials from God allow you to demonstrate that you’re getting it.The more often you go through tests, the better you can become at passing.Your spiritual growth and maturity helps you prepare for greater and bigger things down the road.

God’s testing may seem like a pain to endure, but James encourages us to be joyful.Not joyful because of the test but joyful IN the test.Testing from God is for your good and ultimately helps us grow and makes us stronger spiritually.

d.A godly example to others (Job 1:8)

(Have a student read Job 1:8)

•God presents Job as an example of a man of integrity. There are times when suffering reveals to you or someone else God and His power. In Job’s case, suffering was the way to prove to Satan the power of God in a person’s life.How a person goes through suffering is observed by others and can reveal faith and dependence on God.Trials reveal what is truly important and of value in a person’s life.Trusting God in suffering shows His power, love, and character. It makes God real and powerful in every part of life.

Just as with Job, a person may not be aware of the reason for the suffering but must trust that God never has a bad plan.This is when a person must trust without seeing the evidence for suffering. This is where Job placed his trust and hope.

Turn in your Bible and follow along as I read Isaiah 55:8-9.The truth is we may never understand why we suffer.That’s because God’s thoughts and plans are far beyond anything we can grasp!His ways are not like our ways.It helps if we can wrap our brains around just how awesome God really is.

3.God answers Job

a.God responds to Job questions (Job 13:22 and Job 38:1)

We are not sure just how long the debate between Job and his friends continued, but thankfully it is concluded. Earlier in the book Job had begged God to speak to him (have a student read Job 13:22).Finally, in Job 38:1 (Have a student read), we see God answer.Suddenly, from out of a mighty windstorm God answers Job.The whirlwind is a visible picture of God’s power and might. Job had asked that God answer him.Now God speaks and his very first question is, “Who is questioning my wisdom?”Job is instructed to get ready to respond to God!

Take your Bible and find Job 38:2.Here is your challenge.You have one minute to count up how many questions God asks Job.Stop at Job 40:2.How many did you come up with?

After 1 minute ask the students to respond.Answer is 40-55 depending on the translation.

God does not answer Job’s questions with statements but responds by asking lots of rhetorical questions; questions that only God can answer.Once God begins to ask the questions, they add up quickly.Each question deals with a common theme; did you catch it? (Answer – creation or nature)

•God answers using nature to demonstrate His power.

That’s right, nature and creation help us to begin to understand just how big and awesome God is.Listen to just a couple of the questions God asks and think how you might try to answer.

  • Job 38:4 – Where were you when I created the earth?
  • Job 38:35 – Can you send out lightning and tell it where to go?
  • Job 38:41 – Who provides food for the ravens
  • Job 39:27 – Do you command the eagle to soar and to nest high?

Watch this video which will help to consider God’s sovereignty, His supreme authority and rule over his creation.

Show Louie Giglio on the Star Maker. This video is just under eight minutes in length but will help form a picture in your student’s minds of how awesome and big God really is. Following the video read Job 40:4-5.