7-day plan: Suffering and Trials
The Bible does not hide pain: it cries out, asks why, and speaks of a glory beyond it.
One passage a day, with a question to think it over. Your progress stays on this device, no account needed.
Day 1 · Why do we suffer?
Because he ate from the tree, Adam hears that the ground is cursed and work will be toil
And to Adam he said, “Because you listened to the voice of your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; with toil you will eat from it all the days of your life. And thorns and thistles it will make sprout for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you will return.”
Genesis 3:17–19 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
When you fail, how can you come near to Elohim instead of hiding, as the man did (v. 8)?
Day 2 · The cry of Job and the psalms
Job tears his robe, falls to the ground, and blesses the name of YHWH
Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell to the ground and bowed down. He said, “Naked I came out of the belly of my mother, and naked I will return there. YHWH gave, and YHWH took; may the name of YHWH be blessed.” In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge Elohim with impropriety.
Job 1:20–22 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Which word or phrase stays with you, and why?
Day 3 · What trials produce
James says the testing of faith produces perseverance
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance have its complete work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2–4 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
James speaks of being quick to hear and slow to speak (v. 19). In what conversation today could you listen more?
Day 4 · Jesus suffered
Isaiah speaks of a “man of pains” who bore our pains
Despised and rejected by men, a man of pains and acquainted with sickness; and like one from whom the face is hidden, despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our sicknesses he carried, and our pains he bore them; yet we considered him stricken, struck by Elohim and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the correction of our peace was upon him, and by his wound we were healed.
Isaiah 53:3–5 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
What does it invite you to do today, even something small?
Day 5 · The glory to come
Paul says the sufferings of now cannot compare with the coming glory
For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
The Spirit helps us in weakness when we do not know what to ask (v. 26). How do you pray when you cannot find words?
Day 6 · Why do we suffer?
Paul says the whole creation groans and waits to be set free
For the eager expectation of the creation waits for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from the slavery of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers birth pains together until now;
Romans 8:19–22 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
The Spirit helps us in weakness when we do not know what to ask (v. 26). How do you pray when you cannot find words?
Day 7 · The cry of Job and the psalms
Later, Job opens his mouth and curses the day he was born
After this Job opened his mouth and cursed his day. Job answered and said: “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man is conceived.’
Job 3:1–3 · Read the whole chapterTo think about
Looking back over the week, what changed in how you see this topic?