A Labor Of Love Bible Study Prepared by Pastor C. E. Hawthorne
Scripture Text: Romans 12:21
INTRODUCTION
When bad things happen, they can color or darken our world. And don’t let one bad thing happen after another. It can give us the impression that we are destined for doom and gloom.
Such thinking, however, is often the result of a negative mindset. If your mind is set on the negative, you will eventually reap the negative. By the same token, if your mind is set on the positive, you will reap the positive. However, there will be times when bad things happen in spite of the fact that you have been thinking and expecting good things to happen.
It may be difficult to embrace, but bad things CAN happen to good people! Good people who are really rooted and grounded in the Word of God are not so easily swayed by their circumstance and situations. When bad things happen, they are trained and/or conditioned to see the good in the bad.
You see, in Romans 12:21 we are admonished not to be overcome with evil, but to overcome evil with good. The NLT says, “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” When you think good thoughts, speak good words and do good deeds, you can conquer the evil and at the same time expect something good to come out of it.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What lessons can we learn from Job’s response to tragedy in Job 1:12-22? How does this compare to your responses to bad news?
- Read 1Peter 3:8. What does it say that we should NOT do? What is the recommended alternative behavior? What is the expected outcome?
- There are times when we may question God about the tragic things that occur in our lives. Is it wrong to shed tears or cry about it? What should we do after we have cried?
- Joseph had a very positive attitude about the things he went through. What did he say to his brothers and what can we learn from it (Gen. 50:14-21)?
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