Why Do We Suffer

Why Do We Suffer

 (Bible Overview #27 of 54)

One Main Truth:  Suffering comes into the lives of Christians we are to stay true to God

New to GameLife 123 Bible Discovery?  Click here to see lesson essentials & how to use the “Three Thirds Method.” 

1 GAME: Keep Running

Game / Bible / Life Connection:   In our Game The Game was Very Challenging  / In the Bible God allowed Job to be Tested and Challenged Yet Job Never Denied God / In your Life You May face Challenges Yet Never Deny the One True God

This is Step 1

  1. If you have more than 20 children divide into multiple groups of 20. Have children hold hands and move outward until there is a large circle. Have children let go of hands and turn the face the back of the child to their right. (all children will be facing the back of the child to their right). [Important: have the children take three steps outward to make circle larger, this will make the game much more challenging].
    2. Explain to the children they will run around this large circle try to tag the player’s back in front of them.
    3. When a player is tagged they are out and must move off to the side.
    4. Keep playing until there are only 4 players left and declare them the winners
    5. [Note: the longer the race goes the more tired the players will become and it will become more challenging to try to tag the players back because there are fewer players in the large circle].
    6. [Important: Play many rounds of this game today to have children become very tired, this is a challenging game for a challenging Bible lesson].
     To Use GameLife with your Family at Home using Online “Family Games”  or with your Children’s Ministry during a lockdown using “Online-Zoom-Games”

2 BIBLE DISCOVERIES: Gospel & Truth - Job 13

 Game / Bible / Life Connection:    In our Game The Game was Very Challenging / In the Bible God allowed Job to be Tested and Challenged Yet Job Never Denied God / In your Life You May face Challenges Yet Never Deny the One True God

 Manju was good girl. She was honest and kind. She never wished anything bad for anyone. She followed the Ten Commandments and knew she was protected by God. But strangely, anything and everything always went wrong in Manju’s life! Bad luck seemed to follow her around! Why did God send so much unpleasantness and suffering into Manju’s life? Did He not love her? She often questioned God before going to bed. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Job: Let us look into the story of Job, and try and find an answer there. Once upon a time in the land of Uz, a very rich man called Job lived with his wife, seven sons, and three daughters. He was of good character and deeply feared God. Now, Satan believed Job loved God because He blessed him to be very rich. Satan said to God, “Take away
everything he has – he will curse you to your face.”  Therefore God allowed Satan to test Job’s loyalty to Him, but warned him to spared his life.

A Bad Day: One day, one after the other, Job’s servant came to him saying that some enemies attacked all the oxen, donkeys and camels, and took them all away. Another servant came running saying all the sheep were burnt in a fire. Still another came and said that all his children died in a building collapsed! The wealthy man was left alone
with just his wife within the blink of an eye! Yet, Job did not complain. Then, he got boils from head to foot. Everything he had was destroyed, and now this! Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, and sat among ashes.  

“I was born with nothing, and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May His name be praised!”

Job’s friends who came to console him, all blamed his suffering as a result of his hidden sins. Job surrendered himself to God knowing He is in control. Despite the sadness in his life, Job had hope and waited on God’s favor.  God restored his wealth again, twice as much as before!

Faith: Like Manju and Job, we all face problems.  Not every problem comes to us because we have done something bad. We may never understand why God allows us to experience painful moments, but that does not mean He has forsaken us. God can turn sadness into happiness provided we continue to trust Him.  God is in control of all things that happens in the lives of those who love Him. We must find strength in our faith. In God there is always hope!

3 LIFE CONNECTIONS

  Game / Bible / Life Connection:    In our Game The Game was Very Challenging / In the Bible God allowed Job to be Tested and Challenged Yet Job Never Denied God / In your Life You May face Challenges Yet Never Deny the One True God

Memory Verse:   “Though he slay me, I will hope in him”   Job 13:15a

Leader, ask God to connect to the children’s minds, the children’s hearts, and in the prayer to connect to the children’s soul.

1. Game 
Boys and girls today’s games was very challenging, you had to run for so long. Raise your hand if you are tired?
Did any of you feel like quitting or just stop running?
Today’s Bible discovery was about a man that may have felt like quitting but he never did.

2. Bible
Share some of the challenges Job faced?
Boys and girls many very difficult things happened to Job, things that are difficult for us to understand, did Job ever quit? (no)
Job’s friend told Job to quit, but Job continued to hope in God!

3. Life
Repeat after me: “God the enemy, Satan, brings in evil and suffering into my life, God
strengthen me to always hope in you and never quit.  Holy Spirit show me areas I need not lose hope *pause*.  Jesus please give me courage to obey and share this truth.”

4. Worship Song
Ask the children what is their favorite worship song and then sing several worship songs with hand-motions
(click here for worship songs “GameLife Strong & Powerful Worship Motions”)

5. Reinforcement 
Use local resources and common objects.
(Optional)
Before God created human beings God created angels. One of God’s angels named lucifer, now called Satan, this angel rebelled against God and brought evil and suffering to our world. Share some of the ways you suffer.  Commit to live holy lives and talk about how you can show love and care to those suffering from evil.

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