NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Bible Studies for Life curriculum.
Bible Passage: Genesis 50:15-21
Discussion questions: When have you found forgiveness hard to accept or believe? For us, what are the implications of God’s statement, “Don’t be afraid”? How can we encourage one another to consider our lives from God’s perspective?
Food for thought:
Anyone who’s seen the devastation caused by a tornado knows that circumstances can change quickly — especially anyone who’s seen that devastation live and in person. In a matter of moments, a storm can drop down out of nowhere and destroy everything in sight. In the space of an afternoon, entire communities can go from a normal day to the chaos of sifting through the rubble of their former homes. It’s heart-wrenching.
The truth is that no one is immune from crisis. You may not have lost a home or encountered a tornado, but you’ve felt the devastating winds of hard times. You’ve found yourself rocked by a storm of life and left picking up the pieces.
But here’s one thing you can be sure of: even though you may be caught off guard or surprised by a crisis, God is not. In fact, He’s never surprised by any problem or struggle we face.
Looking at the life of Joseph, we can see how God prepared him and led him in both the good times and the hard times. God is always working, even today, and He has a plan to see us through any crisis. While our problems may seem huge, God is bigger than anything that may happen to us. We can trust His plan to help us overcome.
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life is a family of resources that addresses key issues in the lives of adults, students and kids. Visit www.biblestudiesforlife.com and use it to help you “Connect the Unconnected, Strengthen Families, and Disciple People With Wisdom.” Free session downloads are available, plus PDFs and videos that explain the improvements made to this Bible study resource.
Other ongoing Bible study options offered by LifeWay for all ages can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool.
