Date: November 7, 2021
Confidence in Seasons of Uncertainty
The Point: Trust God when you don’t have all the answers.
Get Into the Study
Use the following information to introduce Question #1.
Danielle Penney loved a house that sits on the shores of Newfoundland’s Bay of Islands. She hoped to one day own the house. So when Penney heard the news that the property had sold and the house would be torn down, she hatched a plan to save the house. She asked the people who bought the property if she could move the house to another location, and they gave her permission to move it. There in Newfoundland, houses are sometimes moved across local waterways, instead of highways.
Preparations were soon underway with the house being stripped to its studs and holes drilled in the flooring to allow water to easily drain. Then the house was fastened to a frame and place on barrels and old tires, that would keep it afloat. With all the preparations and plans in place, the house was launched into the water for a trip of about one kilometer to its new destination. The trip would take about eight hours. But in the middle of the trip, one corner of the house began to sink into the bay. It seemed like Danielle Penney’s dream house was about to go under.
Say: The house was not lost! Neighbors quickly arrived in their small fishing boats and helped to steady the house, till it reached the new location. Danielle Penney had made careful plans, but all of a sudden, it felt like those plans were falling apart, till the neighbors showed up. Then call attention to Question #1 (When have you seen the best-laid plans fall apart?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
Study the Bible
Use the following information to introduce Question #2.
The market research company Ipsos conducts polls in countries around the world, as part of their annual “What Worries the World” survey. Based on their June 2021 findings across 28 countries, here are the issues that people are most concerned about, when asked the question “Which three of the following topics do you find the most worrying in your country?”:
(1) Coronavirus
(2) Unemployment
(3) Poverty & social injustice
(4) Financial/political corruption
(5) Crime & violence
(Sample of 19,010 adults ages 16-74 in 28 countries.)
Say: It’s no surprise that people have concerns about a wide range of issues. Then call attention to Question #2 (How do we determine the difference between worry and legitimate concern?) and invite volunteers to respond.
Information for this post was gleaned from:
— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.
Study the Bible [Option from Adult Leader Guide]
In advance, play a video clip illustrating how this passage impacted the Apostle Paul and later Martin Luther through Paul’s writings in Romans.
Additional Questions
Icebreakers
- What is your typical reaction when stress hits?
- When has faith in God gotten you through a time of uncertainty?
- Where do you turn for help and wisdom when you encounter a season of uncertainty?
Genesis 15:1-5
- What obstacles get in the way of trusting in God?
- How would you describe Abram’s perspective and general attitude in verse 3?
- What promises in Scripture do you lean on in times of uncertainty?
Genesis 15:6
- In what ways are Christians called to believe God today?
- When have you found it difficult to believe God’s promises?
- What does this verse teach us about trusting the Lord?
Genesis 15:13-16
- When have you experienced God’s timing to be vastly different from your own?
- What promises of God can help us endure and trust Him through a long wait?
- When has faith in God gotten you through a time of uncertainty?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
To Fear or Not to Fear, That is the Question
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Tips for Leading Bible Study Groups
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
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