The Suffering of Job
The Book of Job
March 30, 2025
Sunday Recap
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Sunday Recap •
Hey Fams!
Job’s story is an impactful passage on human suffering and God’s sovereign goodness that transcends any circumstance. The book of Job shares of a God-fearing, virtuous man who continually turned from evil. Though he was not sinless, Job was counted righteous by his faith in God until the end.
How does Job respond when unexpected suffering comes to him? How does Job’s story encourage us in our own suffering?
In the beginning of Job, we see an interaction between Satan and God, in which the Creator allows Satan to test Job to see if he would continue to follow God amidst suffering. Job would lose his sheep, camels, servants, and children. In response to this loss, Job worshiped God and refused to blame Him. Next, Job would become afflicted by painful boils. Despite Job's tragic sufferings, he refused to speak ill of God, even when his own wife told him to give up his faith.
In the following chapters, Job wrestled with his experiences in suffering, as his three friends tried in vain to comfort and help him in his pain. They could not fathom that Job’s suffering did not result from sin. However, another voice, that of Elihu, spoke into Job’s circumstances with true wisdom: God is greater than man, holy, and just; only He is righteous and sinless.
God met Job amidst his questions, reminding him of man’s place within His created universe. Though mankind is unworthy of God’s goodness, the Creator delights in showcasing His glory to the ones He has made. After Job prayed for his friends, his fortune was not only restored, but it was doubled.
Although God allowed Job to suffer, His hand was there to guide him, and His comfort remained by his side. What we glean from Job’s story is that God’s righteousness is so much greater than our own, that He is worthy of worship despite our circumstances. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul declared that “our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.”
There is only one truly righteous person who suffered unjustly: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Help kids see that God is good, and His full worthiness is displayed in Jesus, the only truly righteous One. By faith in His finished work on the cross, we are counted as righteous and granted eternal hope. Pray that your kids will experience God's goodness and place their faith in Him alone.
** Next week: God Called Moses (Exodus 1–4)
This Week's Main Ideas
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This Week's Main Ideas •
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God is good even in suffering.
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BABIES-TODDLERS
God is strong and mighty and good.
PRESCHOOL-K
Job saw that God is all-powerful and good. When we face hard times, we can trust God. God sent Jesus, who never did wrong, to suffer and die so that everyone who trusts in Him can have life with God forever.
1ST-5TH GRADE
In his suffering, Job recognized that God is all-powerful and good. When we face suffering, we can hope in God. God sent Jesus, the only truly innocent One, to suffer and die so that everyone who trusts in Him can have forgiveness and eternal life.
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Q: Who is in control of everything?
A: God is in control of everything in heaven and on earth. Nothing is outside of God’s good plan.
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PRESCHOOL-K
You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good.
Genesis 50:20a NIRV
1ST-5TH GRADE
You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good. He planned to do what is now being done. He wanted to save many lives.
Genesis 50:20 NIRV
Family Discipleship Activities
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Family Discipleship Activities •
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Watch a Bible story video or read all or parts of the book of Job from the Bible
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If you read the newspaper or watch the evening news on TV, most of what you see is bad news. Sometimes it can cause us to ask: Why would God allow so many bad things to happen and so many people to suffer? When Job lost everything—including his family—he asked God a very similar question.
God reminded Job that He was all-powerful, always in control, and always good. Even though Job couldn’t understand what God was doing, Job trusted in who God is. Through all the suffering, Job never turned away from God. In the end, God gave back to Job everything he had lost—and even more.
Romans 5:3-4 tells us that we can rejoice in suffering because “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope … ” Even when we don’t understand the suffering that is happening to us or someone around us, we can trust that God is good, He is present, and He is in control.
When we face hard things in life, we can still trust in God and His plans. Need proof? Just think about the cross. At the cross, God used the ultimate pain and suffering to bring the ultimate good news—our future and final salvation from sin.
In his suffering, Job recognized that God is all-powerful and good. When we face suffering, we can hope in God. God sent Jesus, the only truly innocent One, to suffer and die so that everyone who trusts in Him can have forgiveness and eternal life.
Pray: God, help us always remember that You are in control. Help us to trust that You love us and have a plan for us—even when we face hard times. No matter what we face, help us to be faithful to You and to tell others about Your great love for us. Amen.
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PRESCHOOL-K
You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good.
Genesis 50:20a NIRV
1ST-5TH GRADE
You planned to harm me. But God planned it for good. He planned to do what is now being done. He wanted to save many lives.
Genesis 50:20 NIRV
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Mornings
Ask God to help you bless His name even when things don’t go well. Why could Job say “Blessed be His name” even when things were bad? How can we remember God’s goodness in times of trouble?
Evenings
Make a list of all the things you have to be thankful for. Praise God for the blessings He has given to you and your family. How can we share our blessings with others to help them know Jesus?
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For Fun
Plan a day of fun for your kids, but do not tell them any of the details. If they ask where you’re going or what you’ll do, remind them to trust that you have a plan. After the day of fun, talk about how it can be frustrating to not know what will happen next. Even in those moments, we can trust that God is all-powerful, sovereign, and good. We can always trust His plans for us.
To Serve
Visit an assisted living facility or hospital to comfort the residents. Read books, play games, or think of other tangible ways your family can bring peace and joy to their lives. Talk with kids about how we can be a comfort for those who are suffering because we can know and trust God as the ultimate source of comfort.