Rebuilding Faith Through Pain and Transformation

 

Summary

In our journey as "The Fellowship of the Withered Hand," we recognize that each of us carries parts of our lives that we might feel ashamed of or regretful about. Yet, when we muster the courage to face these aspects openly, we find healing. Today, we explore the concept of rebuilding our "assumptive world," a term used to describe the core beliefs we hold about ourselves, the world, and our place in it. These beliefs make life seem predictable and manageable, but when they are shattered by life's traumas, we are forced to reevaluate them.

Drawing from the story of Job, we see a man whose assumptive world was based on the belief that if he lived righteously, he would be blessed. However, when calamity struck, his world was turned upside down. Job's journey through suffering and his eventual encounter with God illustrate the profound transformation that can occur when our assumptions are challenged. This transformation is not just about enduring pain but finding growth and a deeper understanding of God's goodness through it.

In our own lives, we often operate under assumptions that the world is predictable and controllable. Yet, when these assumptions are disrupted, we are invited to reconsider our beliefs. The story of Job and the insights from trauma research suggest that while pain can shatter our assumptive world, it can also lead to post-traumatic growth. This growth involves rebuilding our beliefs on a more profound understanding of life and God.

Today, I encourage you to live with the assumption that God is good, even amidst pain and loss. Embrace the idea that life, despite its challenges, is a gift. As Psalm 100 reminds us, "Serve the Lord with gladness." Let us not hide our withered hands but bring them into the light, trusting in the goodness of God and finding joy in serving others.

Key Takeaways:

- Our assumptive world consists of core beliefs that make life seem predictable. When these beliefs are shattered by trauma, we are forced to reevaluate and rebuild them, often leading to deeper growth and understanding. [02:23]

- Job's story illustrates the faith of propriety, where he believed that righteous living would ensure blessings. His suffering challenges this assumption, leading to a profound encounter with God and a deeper understanding of divine goodness. [04:30]

- The disruption of our assumptive world can lead to post-traumatic growth, where we find new meaning and strength through our experiences of pain and loss. This growth involves embracing uncertainty and trusting in God's goodness. [07:40]

- Living with the assumption that God is good, even in the face of suffering, can transform our perspective. It invites us to see life as a gift and to serve with gladness, as exemplified in Psalm 100. [09:59]

- In the Fellowship of the Withered Hand, we find healing by openly facing our shame and regrets. By supporting each other and trusting in God's goodness, we can rebuild our assumptive world on a foundation of faith and joy. [11:26]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:40] - The Fellowship of the Withered Hand
[00:55] - Rebuilding the Assumptive World
[01:10] - Introduction to Elanor Stump's Work
[01:27] - Exploring Job's Story
[01:58] - Post-Traumatic Growth
[02:23] - Understanding the Assumptive World
[03:29] - Earthquakes of the Soul
[04:30] - Job's Faith of Propriety
[05:31] - Job's Intense Suffering
[06:16] - Personal Anecdote: Tennis and Assumptions
[07:40] - Shattered Assumptions in Life
[08:21] - Different Assumptive Worlds in Job
[09:17] - Job's Encounter with God
[09:59] - Living with the Assumption of God's Goodness
[10:41] - Serve the Lord with Gladness

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Job 7:4, 13-14
2. Psalm 100

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Observation Questions:

1. In Job 7:4, 13-14, how does Job describe his experience of suffering and restlessness? What does this reveal about his state of mind during his trials? [05:31]

2. According to the sermon, what is meant by the term "assumptive world," and how does it relate to our core beliefs about life? [02:23]

3. How does the sermon describe Job's initial assumptions about life and righteousness, and how are these assumptions challenged by his experiences? [04:30]

4. What does Psalm 100 encourage believers to do, and how does this relate to the sermon's message about serving with gladness despite life's challenges? [10:13]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Job's experience of suffering challenge the idea of a predictable and controllable world, as discussed in the sermon? [04:01]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that post-traumatic growth can occur after our assumptive world is shattered? How does this relate to Job's story? [07:40]

3. The sermon mentions different assumptive worlds held by characters in the story of Job, such as Job's wife and his comforters. How do these perspectives differ, and what do they reveal about human responses to suffering? [08:33]

4. How does the sermon's encouragement to live with the assumption of God's goodness, even in suffering, align with the message of Psalm 100? [09:59]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when your own assumptive world was challenged. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [07:40]

2. The sermon encourages us to live with the assumption that God is good. How can you remind yourself of God's goodness in your daily life, especially during difficult times? [09:59]

3. Psalm 100 calls us to serve the Lord with gladness. What is one practical way you can serve others with joy this week, even if you are facing personal challenges? [10:13]

4. Consider the different assumptive worlds mentioned in the sermon, such as those of Job's wife and comforters. Which perspective do you find yourself most relating to, and why? [08:33]

5. The sermon talks about finding healing by openly facing our shame and regrets. What is one area of your life where you can be more open and seek healing? [11:26]

6. How can you support someone in your life who is currently experiencing a "shattered" assumptive world? What specific actions can you take to offer encouragement and hope? [07:40]

7. Reflect on the idea of post-traumatic growth. Is there a specific area in your life where you have experienced growth after a difficult period? How can you use this experience to encourage others? [02:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Rebuilding Our Assumptive World
In life, we often hold core beliefs that make the world seem predictable and manageable. These beliefs form our "assumptive world," a framework that helps us navigate daily life. However, when trauma or unexpected events occur, these assumptions can be shattered, leaving us feeling lost and uncertain. This disruption, though painful, offers an opportunity for growth and transformation. By reevaluating and rebuilding our assumptive world, we can develop a deeper understanding of life and our place in it. This process involves embracing uncertainty and trusting in a greater plan, even when it is not immediately clear. [02:23]

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation." (Habakkuk 3:17-18, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent event that challenged your core beliefs. How can you begin to rebuild your assumptive world with a deeper trust in God's plan?


Day 2: Job's Faith and Transformation
The story of Job illustrates the faith of propriety, where he believed that living righteously would ensure blessings. However, when calamity struck, Job's assumptive world was turned upside down. His intense suffering challenged his beliefs, leading to a profound encounter with God. Through this experience, Job gained a deeper understanding of divine goodness and the complexity of life. His journey teaches us that faith is not about avoiding suffering but about finding growth and transformation through it. By embracing the challenges we face, we can develop a more profound faith and understanding of God's presence in our lives. [04:30]

"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." (Job 23:8-10, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when your faith was challenged. How did this experience lead to a deeper understanding of God's presence in your life?


Day 3: Embracing Post-Traumatic Growth
When our assumptive world is disrupted, it can lead to post-traumatic growth, where we find new meaning and strength through our experiences of pain and loss. This growth involves embracing uncertainty and trusting in God's goodness, even when life seems unpredictable. By allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and open to change, we can rebuild our beliefs on a more profound understanding of life and God. This process is not about avoiding pain but about finding growth and transformation through it. By trusting in God's plan, we can find hope and healing in the midst of our struggles. [07:40]

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area of your life where you have experienced pain or loss. How can you embrace this experience as an opportunity for growth and transformation?


Day 4: Living with the Assumption of God's Goodness
Living with the assumption that God is good, even in the face of suffering, can transform our perspective. It invites us to see life as a gift and to serve with gladness, as exemplified in Psalm 100. By trusting in God's goodness, we can find joy and purpose in our daily lives, even amidst challenges. This perspective encourages us to focus on the positive aspects of life and to serve others with a grateful heart. By embracing this mindset, we can find peace and fulfillment in our relationship with God and in our interactions with others. [09:59]

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you live today with the assumption of God's goodness? What specific actions can you take to serve others with gladness?


Day 5: Healing in the Fellowship of the Withered Hand
In the Fellowship of the Withered Hand, we find healing by openly facing our shame and regrets. By supporting each other and trusting in God's goodness, we can rebuild our assumptive world on a foundation of faith and joy. This community encourages us to bring our vulnerabilities into the light, where they can be transformed into strengths. By embracing our imperfections and trusting in God's plan, we can find healing and growth in our relationships with others and with God. This journey involves being honest with ourselves and others, and finding strength in our shared experiences. [11:26]

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel shame or regret? How can you bring this into the light and find healing through community and faith?

Quotes

"We Are The Fellowship of the withered hand we're all like that man in Jesus' story where there's parts of my life that I feel ashamed of or guilty about or I've got failures or regrets and I want to hide them but somehow when I'm I have enough courage to look at them openly then I find healing and that's the journey we're on together as The Fellowship of the withered hand." [00:00:30]

"Folks who work in the field of trauma studied for a long time post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD and over time they've come to believe researchers have come to believe that it's possible not only to experience a disorder but it's also possible to experience post-traumatic growth and you might think right now about what's an area in your life where it's been difficult where you have felt wounded and then you found yourself grow afterwards." [00:01:43]

"If you think about your basic beliefs as structures and the traumatic events difficulties in your life as earthquakes it helps you to consider how pain difficulty trauma affect your thinking imagine your thoughts are like a city's infrastructure you have an interconnected system of core beliefs that you hold about yourself the world in which you live people around you your past your futures psychologists sometimes called the system of core beliefs the assumptive world since it reflects what you assume to be true about everyday life." [00:02:37]

"Job has what Dallas Willard calls the faith of propriety he assumes that the world and God and His circumstances are going to be pretty orderly there's a kind of a legalistic quality to him the text says at the very beginning that his children would have feast and after those times were over job would offer a burnt sacrifice for each of them thinking perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts this is his regular custom." [00:04:30]

"Job's life falls apart and we'll look more at the intense suffering that he goes through the loss of not just wealth but also servants and children and his health and his standing in the community and it is so searing that it's hard to imagine when he describes it one of the passages that was very striking to me was he says in chapter 7 when I lie down I think how long before I get up the night drags on and I toss and turn till dawn." [00:05:17]

"It's a difficult thing to have your assumptions about how the world is supposed to operate shattered years ago I was playing tennis with my dad and we were in a event at wood your nrow and we ended up playing a double Steam and they had played in Wimbledon so they were way way way way way better than us and I kind of knew they were probably not trying their hardest but you know we were losing but we were having some good points with them and I thought this is actually kind of fun." [00:06:21]

"In the story of job uh this character the Satan has an assumptive world and that's one of cynicism a big part of what the book is about is his statement to God job only serves you because you're good to him but if you stop being so good to him then he will not offer you devotion there is no such thing as altruistic self-giving good." [00:08:13]

"Job's comforters and their assumption is job if you're good good things will happen to you if you're bad bad things will happen to you in our day what we call the Prosperity Gospel you know as long as I've got enough Faith as long as I'm living a good life and honoring God my life will be filled with good things if not then I've messed up someplace that's their whole point chapter after chapter." [00:08:44]

"What happens to job at the end of the book in chapter 42 is uh his assumptive World which was shattered gets rebuil we'll talk about this more not today he has a vision an encounter with God and he says you know before this I had heard about you my ear had heard of you but now I've seen you now I've interacted with you now I have experienced with you I have experienced you." [00:09:07]

"The Assumption I want to offer you today to seek to live on is God is good or if you're not even sure right now now I'm not sure there is a God just try assuming today living as though it is a good thing that you are alive and in this world even if you have gone through great pain and loss the very first Psalm I memorized when I was a little kid the 100th Psalm Old King James version Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord all ye land serve the Lord with gladness." [00:09:47]

"Today whatever is going on in your life whatever inadequacy whatever pain whatever shame whatever difficulty we are the fellowship with a withered hand we don't pretend we don't hide we just bring ourselves to each other when your assumptions about the world have melted down just try this one today the Lord is good serve with gladness." [00:11:15]

"I came in yesterday to the house and I was just feeling heavy and I walked into the kitchen and there was music going on so Nancy did not know that I was home she was making a bean salad for somebody and she was literally dancing with joy and I thought I could do that I was just a little picture I'm the one that had read I'm the one that looks at and teaches this kind of stuff serve the Lord with gladness but she was actually doing it she was doing an act of service for somebody with great joy." [00:10:41]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?