Job had it all—family, friends, prosperity, influence, and even a healthy relationship with God—but in one day he lost everything, except for his faith in God. Job and his friends struggled to make sense of his desperate situation. They asked the same kinds of questions that we ask: where does suffering come from and is there any purpose behind our pain and where is God when we suffer? The responses to these questions might surprise or discomfort us just as much as they did Job. Over six weeks, let’s explore the way God delivers his good news through the very bad experiences of Job. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Read Job chapters 1 and 2, like you would a news story or the first chapter of a novel. Make two lists: one recording your first impressions and a second recording questions that immediately come to your mind. 2. Compare Satan’s accusations (Job 1:9-11, 2:3-6) with Job’s response to suffering (Job 1:20-22, 2:8-10). What do you observe? 3. What did you hear this weekend that inspired you, challenged you, or sparked disagreement or further consideration? 4. When have you experienced pain and suffering? How has your perspective on life and faith changed through those experiences? 5. Imagine that (or remember when) tragedy came to you in a similar way that it came to Job: • Your savings, investments, or business is entirely wiped out. • Your children die in a tragic accident. • Your health falls apart. • Your spouse or most trusted friend grows despondent and asks you to give up. How do you imagine you might respond? 6. How is God leading you to respond to this talk, group discussion, or study… • Plan to participate and invite someone else to this series for the next five weeks? • Reach out to someone who needs encouragement? • Ask for or being willing to receive help if you need it? • Pray for a friend who is experiencing suffering? • Use the connection card to ask a question you hope to explore in Job?