Forgiven, Forgiving and Free
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The Pipe Cleaner1 Digging Deeper
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That Big Pencil Without an Eraser1 Digging Deeper
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RUN, Spot, R-U-N1 Digging Deeper
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Give God Your G-U-I-L-T1 Digging Deeper
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Bustin’ Up Boulders1 Digging Deeper
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Stoned!1 Digging Deeper
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Forgiveness Starts With the Heart1 Digging Deeper
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Downright Difficult1 Digging Deeper
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Living Inside Another’s Skin1 Digging Deeper
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When I Cry and Want to Know Why1 Digging Deeper
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The “Blame” Game1 Digging Deeper
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No Pain, Now What…?1 Digging Deeper
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Group Progress
Group Progress
No Pain, Now What…?
How can hope make things better when we are hurting? For what are we hoping?
18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Titus 1:2
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began
Romans 8:22-28
22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Revelation 21:3-4
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
What can help us build a positive spirit of hope and come to rejoice in suffering?
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Suffering forces us to endure, endurance builds character, and character supports a positive spirit that hopes for things to get better. And that’s why we are able to rejoice.
In 2 Corinthians 4:16-17, on what does Paul tell us to focus when we suffer? What does our temporary suffering help to prepare?
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.
We are going somewhere better and what we are going through can help us be someone better for the God we love with all our being.