Week 4: God’s Providence and Suffering

Week 4: God’s Providence and Suffering 

Outline:

•        Who Is God?

•        What Is God’s Providence?

•        What Is the Relationship between God’s Sovereignty and Suffering?

•        So What?

 

Homework:

•        Read Chapter 2 of Pastor John Piper’s Book, Don’t Waste your Cancer (Attached at the bottom of this file)

 

Helpful resource on God’s sovereignty

•        Pastor John Piper’s Books:

Don’t Waste your Cancer

https://www.desiringgod.org/books/dont-waste-your-cancer

Coronavirus and Christ

https://document.desiringgod.org/coronavirus-and-christ-en.pdf?ts=1586278809

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God

https://www.desiringgod.org/books/suffering-and-the-sovereignty-of-god

•        Article by Pastor Joh Piper on God’s sovereignty over evil

https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/ten-aspects-of-gods-sovereignty-over-suffering-and-satans-hand-in-it

 

Discussion questions (Pick 2 or 3)

·       What is some evidence of God’s sovereignty in your lives?

·       Where is it easy to surrender to his reign and where is it most difficult? Share several ways you might better represent what you believe about God in your daily life.

·       Why is a doctrinal position on God’s sovereignty so vital to understanding suffering?

·       Consider a time you personally questioned God’s authority in your life. What helped you find his purposes?

·       According to the Scriptures, what is God’s role in suffering?

·       Describe how you would counsel an individual suffering with cancer who was questioning their faith in God.

·       Talk about Piper’s argument on suffering as God’s design (attached below). How do you agree or disagree?

J.D. Kim