1. REVIEW

In this study we learned that the Apostle Paul suffered harm due to defamation, corruption, and negligence. Yet, instead of resenting God for those circumstances, he found refuge in God’s love. In this section we will explore how you are facing your hardship and engaging with God’s love.

2. APPLICATION

A. Which one of these areas has caused harm in your life?
___ Defamation: Being falsely accused.
___ Corruption: Having justice withheld due to political games.
___ Negligence: Suffering harm due to somebody else’s faulty thinking.
___ Other.

B. Which one of these distortions have you believed?
___ Because God did not prevent the harm, then He does not really love me.
___ Because God did not prevent the harm, then He is not all powerful.
___ Because God did not prevent the harm, then He is evil.
___ Because God did not prevent the harm, then He does not really exist.

3. GET DEEPER

The Apostle Paul explains that none of the trials he experienced indicated that God did not love him. Instead, when we follow Jesus, God loves us deeply and will turn any harm into spiritual fruit. The defamation, corruption, and negligence that humans intended for harm in Paul’s life, God would turn into something ultimately good.  Read these two convictions out loud three times together:

A. Convictions:
1.Nothing can separate me from God’s love.
2.God loves me so much that He will bring something good out of my trails.

B. Do you believe these two convictions?
___ Yes  
___ No

4. GROUP PRAYER

(1) Thank God for knowing you fully and loving you as you are.
(2) Renounce before God any distortion that you have believed about Him (from the list above)
(3) Thank God that nothing can separate you from His love.
(4) Thank God that He will work something good out of your trials.
(5) Invite the Holy Spirit to restore and strengthen your trust in God and your love for Him.
(6) Thank God in advance for the work that He will do in your life.