AUGUST 10 | PSALM 102 | THE DISCIPLINE OF SUFFERING.

  1. Recall to the group a time that God brought about good in your life through suffering. Why is it often easier to see the good of suffering after the fact, rather than in the midst of the trial?

  2. Read the superscription Psalm 102. In the sermon, Robb gave ‘4 P’s’ for suffering as discipline. The first P is PREPARATION. Why does the psalmist say ‘when he is afflicted’ rather than ‘if ’?

  3. Read verses 1-11. The second P is ‘POUR out your complaint.’ What does the psalmist do in these verses to make God his safest place? How does he practice vulnerability and stay connected to God, even when God’s sovereignty is terrifying (vv9-10)? How does pouring out our hearts to God transform our experience of suffering?

  4. Read vv12-17. In these verses, the psalmist identifies with the PEOPLE of God who have suffered faithfully before him. Why is it important to recognize that our suffering is not an isolated event? What does Hebrews 11:36-40 tell us about the saints who have suffered before us?

  5. Read vv24-28. The 4th P is PERSPECTIVE. How does an eternal perspective equip us to suffer well? Is there any ‘bad news’ in your life right now that you can lay down before the Lord, trusting that the GOOD of his mercy will outlast the bad of this present time? Share prayer requests with one another, then read Romans 8:16-18 and pray for one another.

Robb EsperatComment