1)Listen to Podcast
2)GG Questions
05/17/2020
Nonsense! The Paradox of Suffering:
Let God Be God (Daniel 3)
1. Before, Not During: “Woe to the man who must learn principles in the time of crisis.” Ray Steadman, the
author of those words, would counsel Christians to learn the principles of walking with God through suffering
before the fiery trial comes. Look back on the principles you learned over this series: the problem of evil, a
theology of suffering, pain redeemed by God, our grumbling / grieving / guidance / gratitude questions, the
various sources of suffering, the pathways and starting points in it, and the value of lament . What stands out to
you? Do you feel better prepared to handle suffering when (not if) it comes?
2. The Centrality of God: A.W. Tozer remarks that, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What does he mean? Do you agree? Could it be that what comes into our mind when we think about God is the most important thing about how we approach suffering? Why?
3. Conflict: Randy Alcorn encourages believers to think of suffering in terms of story. What would Star Wars be without Darth Vadar? The Lord of the Rings without Sauron? Our story, the only true story, has a villain too (John 10:10). Who is this villian and what has the Hero of our story done about it in the past (Heb. 2:14; 1 John 3:8), what is He doing about it in the present (Eph. 6:11), and what will he do about it in the future (Rom.16:20)?
4. Let God Be God: The book of Daniel is not without its villains. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, burned
Jerusalem to the ground, executed thousands of Jews, and then carried into slavery those who remained.
Read the account of how three young slaves stood up to this tyrannical world conqueror (Dan. 3:8-18). If
asked how they did it, what would they say? How might the phrase, ‘let God be God’, work its way into their
answer?
