Finding Faith in Suffering: Remembering God's Victories
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. It's a joy to be in the house of the Lord, worshiping together. Today, we discussed the importance of remembering God's past victories and how they shape our faith and trust in Him. We began by reflecting on Psalm 44, which starts with a recounting of God's mighty deeds in history, such as the Israelites' conquest of Canaan. These stories remind us that our faith is rooted in God's sovereign grace and His saving acts, not in our own strength or abilities.
The psalmist then transitions to a lament about the present suffering and disgrace faced by God's people, despite their faithfulness. This tension between past victories and present suffering is something many of us can relate to. We often find ourselves asking, "Why, God?" when we face hardships despite our faithfulness. The psalmist's honest lament teaches us that it's okay to bring our complaints and questions to God, trusting that He is still in control.
We explored the story of Pastor Brian Kelso, who suffered greatly despite his faithful service, to illustrate that even the most devoted servants of God can experience devastating trials. The psalmist's cry for help and his plea for God's steadfast love remind us that our suffering is not meaningless. It is part of God's grand plan to refine us and display His glory through our faith.
Finally, we looked at how the Apostle Paul picks up this theme in Romans 8, emphasizing that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Even in our suffering, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We conquer by calling upon the Lord in prayer, holding firm in our faith, and prizing Jesus above all else. Our trials are opportunities to grow closer to Christ and to glorify God.
### Key Takeaways
1. Remembering God's Past Victories: Reflecting on God's past deeds, like the Israelites' conquest of Canaan, strengthens our faith. These stories remind us that our salvation and victories come from God's sovereign grace, not our own efforts. This perspective helps us trust God in our present circumstances. [31:47]
2. Honest Lament in Suffering: The psalmist's transition from praise to lament in Psalm 44 teaches us that it's okay to bring our complaints and questions to God. Even when we don't understand why we are suffering, we can trust that God is still in control and that our suffering has a purpose. [43:50]
3. God's Sovereignty in Suffering: The psalmist attributes his suffering directly to God, acknowledging that God is in control of all circumstances. This challenges us to trust in God's sovereignty, even when life is painful and unfair. Our suffering is not meaningless; it is part of God's plan to refine us and display His glory. [55:30]
4. Suffering for God's Glory: Jesus' response to the disciples' question about the blind man in John 9 teaches us that suffering can be an opportunity for God's works to be displayed. When we face trials, our focus should be on how we can glorify God through them, rather than questioning why they are happening. [01:02:00]
5. More Than Conquerors Through Christ: The Apostle Paul in Romans 8 assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Even in our suffering, we are more than conquerors through Him. We conquer by calling upon the Lord in prayer, holding firm in our faith, and prizing Jesus above all else. [01:05:29]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:07] - Announcements and Introductions
[05:29] - Preparing for Worship
[06:24] - Reading of Romans 11:33-36
[07:13] - Pastoral Transition and Vacation Announcement
[25:22] - Introduction to Psalm 44
[26:44] - The Tension of Joy and Suffering
[27:28] - Story of Pastor Brian Kelso
[29:18] - Deep Lament in Psalm 44
[31:06] - A Past to Boast About
[35:02] - Salvation by Sovereign Grace
[39:20] - Trusting in God's Power
[43:16] - Complaint About Present Circumstances
[45:48] - Six Laments in Psalm 44
[50:10] - Why, Oh Why God?
[55:30] - God's Sovereignty in Suffering
[01:02:00] - Suffering for God's Glory
[01:05:29] - More Than Conquerors Through Christ
[01:14:17] - Keep Your Eyes on Jesus
[01:22:59] - Closing and Doxology
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 44:1-26
2. Romans 8:35-39
3. John 9:1-3
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#### Observation Questions
1. What past victories of God does the psalmist recall in Psalm 44, and why are they significant? [31:47]
2. How does the psalmist describe the present suffering and disgrace faced by God's people in Psalm 44? [43:50]
3. According to Romans 8:35-39, what assurance do believers have even in the midst of suffering?
4. In John 9:1-3, what reason does Jesus give for the man's blindness, and how does it relate to the theme of suffering for God's glory?
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important for believers to remember God's past victories, as highlighted in Psalm 44? How does this practice strengthen faith? [31:47]
2. The psalmist in Psalm 44 openly laments and questions God about their suffering. What does this teach us about the nature of our relationship with God and how we can approach Him in times of distress? [43:50]
3. How does the story of Pastor Brian Kelso illustrate the concept of suffering for God's glory? What can we learn from his experience? [27:28]
4. Romans 8:35-39 emphasizes that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. How does this passage provide comfort and hope in the face of trials and tribulations?
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's victory in your life. How can remembering this event help you trust God in your current circumstances? [31:47]
2. The psalmist in Psalm 44 brings his complaints and questions to God. Is there a current struggle or question you need to bring before God in prayer? How can you do this honestly and faithfully? [43:50]
3. Pastor Brian Kelso's story shows that even faithful servants of God can face severe trials. How can you support someone in your community who is going through a difficult time, ensuring they feel God's love and presence? [27:28]
4. Romans 8:35-39 assures us that we are more than conquerors through Christ. What practical steps can you take this week to hold firm in your faith and rely on God's love, even when facing challenges? [01:05:29]
5. Jesus said the man's blindness in John 9:1-3 was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. How can you shift your perspective to see your own suffering as an opportunity to glorify God? [01:02:00]
6. The sermon mentioned that our trials are opportunities to grow closer to Christ and to glorify God. Identify one specific trial you are currently facing. How can you use this situation to deepen your relationship with Christ and bring glory to God? [01:05:29]
7. The psalmist in Psalm 44 continues to sing to God despite suffering. How can you incorporate worship and praise into your daily routine, especially during tough times? [30:34]
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This guide is designed to help your small group delve deeper into the themes of remembering God's past victories, lamenting honestly in suffering, understanding God's sovereignty, and finding hope and purpose in trials. May your discussions be fruitful and encouraging.
Devotional
Day 1: Reflecting on God's Past Deeds
Reflecting on God's past deeds strengthens our faith and trust in Him.
Throughout history, God has demonstrated His power and faithfulness through mighty deeds, such as the Israelites' conquest of Canaan. These stories are not just historical accounts; they are testimonies of God's sovereign grace and His ability to save. By remembering these past victories, we are reminded that our faith is rooted in God's actions, not our own strength or abilities. This perspective helps us trust God in our present circumstances, knowing that He has been faithful before and will be faithful again.
When we face challenges, it is essential to look back and see how God has worked in our lives and in the lives of others. This practice of remembrance can bolster our faith and give us the courage to face current trials with confidence in God's unchanging nature. Reflecting on God's past deeds is a powerful way to anchor our faith in His proven character and promises. [31:47]
Joshua 4:21-22 (ESV): "And he said to the people of Israel, 'When your children ask their fathers in times to come, "What do these stones mean?" then you shall let your children know, "Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground."'"
Reflection: Think of a specific instance in your life where you experienced God's faithfulness. How can remembering this event help you trust Him in your current situation?
Day 2: Bringing Our Laments to God
It's okay to bring our complaints and questions to God, trusting that He is still in control.
Psalm 44 transitions from recounting God's past victories to lamenting present suffering. This shift teaches us that it is acceptable to bring our honest complaints and questions to God. Even when we don't understand why we are suffering, we can trust that God is still in control and that our suffering has a purpose. The psalmist's raw and honest lament is a model for us to follow in our own times of distress.
When we face hardships despite our faithfulness, it is natural to ask, "Why, God?" The psalmist's example shows us that we can bring these questions to God without fear. He invites us to pour out our hearts to Him, knowing that He hears us and cares for us. Our honest laments can deepen our relationship with God as we trust Him with our pain and confusion. [43:50]
Psalm 62:8 (ESV): "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us."
Reflection: What is a current struggle or question you have that you need to bring to God in honest lament? Take a moment to pour out your heart to Him in prayer.
Day 3: Trusting in God's Sovereignty
Our suffering is not meaningless; it is part of God's plan to refine us and display His glory.
The psalmist in Psalm 44 attributes his suffering directly to God, acknowledging that God is in control of all circumstances. This challenges us to trust in God's sovereignty, even when life is painful and unfair. Our suffering is not meaningless; it is part of God's grand plan to refine us and display His glory. Understanding this can help us endure trials with a sense of purpose and hope.
When we recognize that God is sovereign over our suffering, we can find comfort in knowing that He is working all things for our good and His glory. This perspective allows us to see our trials as opportunities for growth and transformation. Trusting in God's sovereignty means believing that He is in control and that He has a purpose for everything we go through. [55:30]
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Reflection: How can you shift your perspective to see your current suffering as part of God's refining process? What steps can you take to trust in His sovereignty today?
Day 4: Glorifying God Through Suffering
Suffering can be an opportunity for God's works to be displayed.
In John 9, Jesus' response to the disciples' question about the blind man teaches us that suffering can be an opportunity for God's works to be displayed. When we face trials, our focus should be on how we can glorify God through them, rather than questioning why they are happening. This shift in perspective can transform our approach to suffering and help us see it as a chance to demonstrate God's power and love.
Instead of asking, "Why me?" we can ask, "How can I glorify God in this situation?" This mindset allows us to use our suffering as a platform to showcase God's faithfulness and grace. By trusting in Him and seeking to honor Him in our trials, we can turn our pain into a testimony of His goodness and sovereignty. [01:02:00]
John 9:3 (ESV): "Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.'"
Reflection: Think of a current or past trial you have faced. How can you use this experience to glorify God and display His works to others?
Day 5: More Than Conquerors Through Christ
Even in our suffering, we are more than conquerors through Christ.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 8 assures us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Even in our suffering, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. We conquer by calling upon the Lord in prayer, holding firm in our faith, and prizing Jesus above all else. Our trials are opportunities to grow closer to Christ and to glorify God.
Being more than conquerors means that we not only endure our trials but also emerge victorious through our faith in Christ. This victory is not about escaping suffering but about finding strength and hope in Jesus. By relying on Him and seeking His presence, we can overcome any challenge and experience His love and power in new and profound ways. [01:05:29]
Romans 8:37-39 (ESV): "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to experience victory through Christ? How can you actively seek His presence and strength in this area today?
Quotes
### Quotes for outreach
1. "We don't have to pretend. We don't have to put on a show or a mask and think that we're perfect Christians, but we can come and bring this stuff to the Lord. Amen. And leave it here and help and work with him through that and find healing and restoration." [06:24] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Faith in the future must be awakened on the basis of God's great works in the past. Amen? Just as the psalmist has just told us, he has heard from his forefathers about the conquest of Canaan. We as followers of Christ are to remember and pass on the great saving works of Jesus Christ, the gospel of our Savior." [33:31] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Christians do not take possession of God's blessing on any merit of their own. We did not earn our salvation because God looked down on Aaron and said, wow, he did some really nice works. I better save him. Now, you know what the Bible says about my works? They're like a pile of dung. Do you know what dung is? Yeah, you know what dung is. I don't have to explain that." [37:09] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We as Christ followers can confidently rely on God's almighty power and in that we can find our strength for spiritual warfare. Which by the way, we're all in. We're all in a spiritual war. The Bible says. It's only by relying in him that we succeed and not in our own devices." [41:40] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We are more than conquerors as Romans 8 37 says not by avoiding all the trials and tribulations and hiding up in an ivory tower where nobody will find you but by holding firm to your faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ." [01:11:43] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for members
1. "Psalm 44 expresses a deep lament of a believer, a believer in God who has trusted the Lord and has suffered crushing circumstance after crushing circumstance. And I hear that same scenario week in and week out as I meet with people and give them pastoral counsel. I hear them say things along the line like, pastor, I love the Lord. I serve the Lord. I do everything I can to be obedient to the Lord, but yet I am met with struggle after struggle, after crushing circumstance, after crushing circumstance. What's wrong with me? Does God not love me? Has God hidden his face from me? Has God forgotten his servant? What am I to do?" [29:55] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The psalmist frankly admits God's sovereignty in suffering and continues by noting that suffering may occur even when God is not punishing his people. He frankly states in verse 17 all this has come upon us though we have not forgotten you and we have not been false to your covenant. It is true that God sometimes chastises his people he corrects us we see that all over the Bible especially in Hebrews 12 6 it states that clearly but not all suffering can be ascribed to this cause." [01:00:03] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When we are caused to suffer church our first concern should not be why is this happening to me God but how can I glorify you in this trial how can I bring glory to your name in some cases God does ordain suffering in order to strengthen our faith I say when God is beginning to use you in greater ways we always go through pain perplexity and then promotion." [01:02:00] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The psalmist's third statement about his suffering is probably the most important it's found in verse 22 yet for your sake we are killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered so what we see is our suffering is ultimately for God's sake God's people suffer in order that glory might be seen through our faith we experience trials because God insists on making us holy it's removing impurities from us ultimately believers suffer as a part of God's grand plan to restore all things through who? the suffering servant Jesus Christ through his death." [01:03:17] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I am here this morning to encourage you to grow in your faith to the point where you have confidence in the Lord that he is with you even when you go through your darkest hours that the Lord is with you even when you don't feel his intimate presence he has promised he has promised that he that as we walk through the darkest moments of our lives that he is with us that promise should give us great confidence it should fortify our faith to know that the Lord is always with us whether we feel it or not." [01:09:53] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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