1) How has your past suffering, or the past suffering of someone you know, been part of God’s plan for you?  Or part of God’s plan for someone else?

2) Can you think of a time when you suffered in some way, but through it God prepared you to help someone else later on?  How did you view the suffering at the time, and how do you re-gard it now?

3) Many people here are suffering in various ways through our covid lockdowns.

  •  How has God already changed you through the lockdowns?
  • How do you think you will be different after the lockdowns?  What has God been doing in and for you?
  • What effect are you having on the people around you during lockdowns?
  • Is God glorified through the way you’re relating to family, friends and others?

4) Chapter 29 describes the ways in which Job lived a righteous life before God.  Make a list of the actions and attitudes in this chapter.  Remembering that God declared Job to be righteous, consider how well (or if) our lives compare with this standard. 

5) Chapter 31 lists things Job has avoided in order to remain righteous.  Make a list of them and consider our lives in comparison. Give thanks to God for his mercy through Jesus for our shortcomings. 

6) In Ch29 Job is proud of his righteousness.When God confronts him, is Job’s pride criticized?

7) Read James 5:7-11.  What outcome of Job’s endurance is James writing about?