Finding God in the Darkness
ASL Interpretation – Message Only
The last week of Jesus’ life began with a parade of celebration and hope. He would be dead by the end of that week. What happened? Even in darkness, God is at work; it just doesn’t feel like it sometimes. And even though there is no darkness in God, He’s never opposed to entering the darkness. God does profound things there. So, don’t instinctively run from the darkness. You might be running from God.
Discussion Questions
In uncertain times, we can be prone to anxiety and fear. What do those emotions look like in your life?
In what ways does God use the appearance of defeat on the path to victory? (Note the triumphal entry to Jerusalem and Jesus’ subsequent crucifixion. John 12:2-13, Isaiah 53:7)
How do you reconcile that God is “light” but also present in darkness? (1 John1:5. Exodus 20:21, Psalm 97:2, Psalm 18:11, Psalm 139:12)
How can your personal darkness create receptivity to God’s presence and purposes?
Just as the rhythm of a day includes the night, so too, our spiritual rhythm includes darkness. How has God used darkness as a spiritual rhythm in your life? How have you grown spiritually from hardship and challenge?
When you run from darkness, how might you be running from God?
We look for immunity from disease but sometimes we look for immunity from life’s problems. In what sense is the Christian life not a life of immunity from problems?
What can you count on God to do when you’re living through difficulties?
Further Reading
Searching for the Generous Life
Just like modest investments can grow over time, our investment into God's kingdom generates growth and produces eternal dividends. The apostle Paul presented the Macedonian believers as an example of generous giving to the Corinthian church and to us. Let's explore...
Searching for Reconciliation
Confronting others concerning biblical/theological compromise is never easy or pleasant. Such encounters must be handled with sensitivity to the needs of others, directed by spiritual wisdom and the Scriptures, and guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul closed chapter two of...
Searching for Courage
On the surface, hearing God and following His commands seems straightforward. However, when God calls us to do something that generates fear in us and feels daunting, second-guessing His call becomes reasonable. Finding the courage to obey such a call is overwhelming....
Searching for the Abundant Life
Jesus explicitly explained his purpose when He said “…I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). He said similar things many times, and these ideas are repeated, over and over again, by those who wrote the New Testament. Yet many people,...
Searching for Real Friendship
Some relationships may imitate friendship, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Exploring the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Bible, we’ll identify some distinguishing features of friendship that are often overlooked and discover how to infuse...
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