Story
What was Job's life like initially?
Job 1:1-3
Perfect (righteous, on the covenant path), upright, big family, healthy, wealthy, prominent figure in the community.
What was Job's wifes perspective? Job 2:9
How did all these trials make Job feel? Job 3:3,11 Job 10:19
Wife: Curst God and die!!
Job: I wish I had never been born!!
How did Job demonstrate his faith in God?
Job 1:21 Job 13:15 Job 23:10
I came into this world with nothing and I will leave with nothing. Everything I have in my life comes from God.
Even if you were to take my life, I will trust in God's plan for me and I will not give up my integrity.
This experience is refining me and I will be a better person because I went through it.
Did the Lord give Satan power over Job?
Job 1:12
When reading this account, it is important to remember that God has power over Satan. God only does that which is for the benefit of His children.
President James E. Faust of the First Presidency affirmed:
“The power to resist Satan may be stronger than we realize. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: ‘All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power’ [The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook (1980), 60].
“He also stated, ‘Wicked spirits have their bounds, limits, and laws by which they are governed’ [History of the Church, 4:576]. So Satan and his angels are not all-powerful” (“The Forces That Will Save Us,” Ensign, Jan. 2007, 8).
What was taken away from Job?
Job 1:13-19 Job 2:7,9 Job 11:6, 16:2,20 19:19
All of his riches and wealth
All of his children died, his wife turned against him
He was smitten with horrible illness
His friends turned against him.
What was Job's friends perspective on why he was experiencing trials?
Job 8:6 Job 11:3-6 Job 15:4-6
If you were righteous, the Lord would be making your life easy
You are a liar to everyone. You say you are righteous and pure. Oh that God would show everyone your secrets and the wickedness we know you must have done. You deserve everything you get.
Pretending to be righteous is wicked and you condem yourself by not admitting the sins you have obviously committed.
What is the difference between faith and trust?
Faith is a noun, it defines our belief in things unseen, the assurance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). It is the confidence that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised.
Trust is a verb, a doing word. Trust is faith in action!
How can the Saviour help us during trials?
Jesus Christ loves to restore what we cannot restore, heal wounds we cannot heal, fix what is irreparably broken, and compensate for any unfairness we have endured. In fact, if we let Him, He will consecrate our suffering for our gain and sanctify to us our deepest distress. He will not just console us and restore what was lost (see Job 42:10, 12–13), but He will use our trials for our benefit.
The Savior has the power to make everything right and yearns to do so. He loves to permanently mend even shattered hearts (see Psalm 147:3). The ultimate lesson of the book of Job is that each of us can choose to live our lives trusting God and His plan, no matter what. (“Trust God and Let Him Prevail,” Liahona, Aug. 2022, 7) Elder Renlund
Explain what the conversation's between the Lord and Satan meant
Job 1:8-12, Job 2:3-6
Remember, these versus' are a poetic interpretation of what someone thought happened between the Lord and Satan.
Lord: Look at Job, he is a good and righteous man
Satan: Look at everything you have blessed him with. If you took all that away, he would curse you.
Lord: You can test Job, you can have power of everything he is responsible for, but do not harm him.
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Lord: Look at Job, even though you've taken so much away from him, he still has integrity and righteousness.
Satan: He still has his health, take that away and he will curse you.
Lord: Do what you will to him, just don't take his life.
What are some questions that would be helpful and unhelpful to ask yourself during times of trial?
When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? …
Elder Richard G Scott of the Qurom of the 12 apostles
Give an example of someone from the scriptures who trusted in God despite the trials they were going through. (One example from each group member)
Joseph Smith Moses Nephi Daniel Esther Abraham the apostle Paul David Alma
to name a few......
How can trials be a blessing?
Reflecting on my own experiences, I realize I have learned some of my best lessons during the hardest times in my life, times that took me out of my comfort zone. Difficulties I encountered as a youth, while learning about the Church through seminary, as a recent convert, and as a full-time missionary and challenges I faced in my education, in striving to magnify my callings, and in raising a family have prepared me for the future. The more I cheerfully respond to difficult circumstances with faith in the Lord, the more I grow in my discipleship.
The hard things in our lives should come as no surprise once we have entered the strait and narrow path. Jesus Christ learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” As we follow Him, especially in our difficult times, we can grow to become more like Him. (“We Can Do Hard Things through Him,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 116) Elder Isaac K. Morrison of the Seventy
How did Job respond?
Job 1:20-22 Job 19:25-26 Job 42:6
Job acknowledges that everything that he has comes from God and God can give and take away as he sees fit.
Job stays strong in his testimony of Jesus Christ and knows that these trials are only temporary and that one day, he will be resurrected in a perfect body and will be with Jesus Christ in person.
He was humble and repentant
How do you think you would respond if something bad happened to you that you did not deserve?
Mosiah 3:19 "...and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."
What defines 'deserving'? It implies that we are owed something, but in truth, all things come from God, we will always have a debt to God that we can never repay. We are not 'owed' anything.
Who is someone you admire for choosing to have faith in God? What did they do to show faith?
I admire my mum. She has many many health problems but still doesn't cease to call on Heavenly Father to support her and guide her to what she needs to feel better.
Michico - joined the church even though her family didn't agree.
How can the Saviour help us endure our afflictions?
As followers of Christ, we are not spared challenges and trials in our lives. We are often required to do difficult things that, if attempted alone, would be overwhelming and maybe impossible. As we accept the Savior’s invitation to “come unto me” [Matthew 11:28], He will provide the support, comfort, and peace that are necessary. … Even in our deepest trials, we can feel the warm embrace of His love as we trust Him and accept His will. We can experience the joy reserved for His faithful disciples, for “Christ is joy” [Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 82]. (“Come unto Christ—Living as Latter-day Saints,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2020, 36) Elder John A. McCune of the Seventy
What was restored to Job?
Job 42:10-17
The Lord returned unto Job double what he orignially had.
His friends and family came back and brough money.
He had 7 more sons and 3 more daughters who were the fairest in the land.
He lived a long and fulfilled life filled with love, health, wealth and family.
Why do bad things happen to good people and vice versa?
Job 10:2,15
Job is stating that he is confused why all these bad things have happened to him.
Share the fable of the two angels.
Although the book is about Job’s suffering, it does not entirely answer the question of why Job (or any other person) might suffer pain and the loss of his family and goods. The book clarifies that having afflictions does not necessarily mean that a person has sinned. The Lord may use affliction for experience, discipline, and instruction as well as for punishment (Guide to the scriptures)
What does it mean to trust in God? What does that look like?
“This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings. … To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5–7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience” (“Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17).
Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with ALL thine heart, lean NOT unto thine own understanding (pride), in all thy ways acknowledge Him (humilty and gratitue) and He shall direct thy path (the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit.)
Does it sometimes feel like God is breaking you?
When God wanted to make David a king, He didn't give him a crown, He gave him Goliath.
When God wanted to raise Joseph to the palace, He didn't give him a shortcut, He gave him prison.
When God wanted to make Esther a queen, He didn't give her comfort, He gave her a crisis.
When God wanted to make Moses a leader, He didn't give him a stage, He gave him the wilderness.
When we feel like God is breaking you, He is actually building you.
God doesn't give you what we expect in life, He gives you what you need to become everything He needs you to be and to fulfill you purpose in this life and the next.