Living Victoriously in Difficult Times: Session 2 - The Example of Paul

When painful or frustrating circumstances invade our life, it’s easy to wonder why. Why does life so often seem unfair? Why doesn’t our all-powerful God stop the pain and suffering–not just for you–but for all His children

The truth is, we live in a fallen world filled with fallen people, and we cannot escape hardship and pain.

In this six week study we’ll examine what the Bible says about suffering. Through the stories of many who persevered through times of testing, we’ll discover how to find joy even when life seems unfair. We’ll learn how to handle loss while glorifying God in the midst of our pain. And we’ll find the peace that comes from trusting in the One whose strength is made perfect in your weakness

During our second session, we looked at how the Apostle Paul help us better understand the suffering. We discussed the following passages:

Acts 13:44-45, 49-50 [New American Standard Bible]

The next Sabbath nearly all the city assembled to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began contradicting the things spoken by Paul, and were blaspheming.

And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region.

2 Timothy 3:10-12 [New American Standard Bible]

Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 [New American Standard Bible]

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction which occurred in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead,

2 Corinthians 4:7-11 [New American Standard Bible]

But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh.