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Sorry I am so late in posting this.  We had a great study last Wednesday.  Next Wednesday I believe we will be at Magda's.

Chapter 4-- Relentless Questions
His Presence and Peace in Your Darkest Nights and Longest Battles

There are many times God declines to answer our why questions.  The most difficult ones have to do with human suffering:

Why did her child get healed and mine died?
Was it my fault?
Should I have had more faith?
Why didn't you save my marriage?
What more could I have done?
Why didn't you stop me from playing the fool?

• List one of your own why questions you've been asking God:
• Why do you think God withholds answers sometimes? Isaiah 55:8-9
  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
      neither are your ways my ways,”
  declares the Lord.
  ⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
      so are my ways higher than your ways
      and my thoughts than your thoughts.
• Reflect for a moment on your own suffering you have survivied has it brought you closer to God or farther away?

Read Matthew 8:5-13  Jesus Heals a Centurion Servant

• What barriers could have kept the Roman soldier from approaching Jesus for help?
• Jesus warned the Jews that their lack of faith in God could keep them from entering the kingdom.  We shouldn't over estimate faith-- somehow thinking that faith itsled is the source of God's goodness-- but acknowledge that faith is essentially a bedrock belief in God and what he can do.  Why do you think God despises our unbelief?
• Read verse 13.  Why was the centurion's servant healed according to the text?
  He believed Jesus could heal him.

God is in Control.  He will never, ever leave us.

Read John 11:1-44

The story of Lazarus is one of the most remarkable stories we have, and John is the only gospel who records it. This is account shows the anguish and pain of two sisters who dearly loved their brother, Lazarus, and who also dearly loved Jesus.  They know Jesus was the only One to help their sick brother.  But when He waited four days too late, according to their worldly prospective the why began to consume them.  They knew he could have come earlier, could have healed him before he died.  Jesus also showed his compassion, as verse 35 says, "Jesus wept."

• Why did Jesus wait, according to verse 4 and verse 40?
  For God's Glory
• As you wait on God for an answer, anticipate how the wait might bring Him more Glory.  Write down your thoughts.

"It can be a very, very rough road.  But that sort of trip was never the original plan.  God laid for us a smooth and beautiful road, but the detour out of the garden of Eden-- across sun-seared deserts and over treacherous mountains, through raging rivers and finally up to a cross on a hill-- is neither smooth nor beautiful.  But it is the way way home.  Of that I remain utterly certain." (God Loves Broken People, pp 51)

"I believe that when we weep God catches every tear.
I believe that no pain is wasted, and that even out of the greatest tragedies, God has promised to bring good.
I believe that you have never lived an unloved moment in your life.
I believe that He has been there too.  You are not alone! You were not alone then, you are not alone now, and He will never, ever leave you.
Detours then to kick up a lot of dust.  Sometimes we can still see where we are going, while at other times the road seems to disappear-- but always, Christ remains in control." (God Loves Broken People, pp52)