Strength to See Through Suffering | Church of the Open Door

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

In 2 Timothy 2:3-7, Paul uses three different analogies: soldier, athlete, and farmer. Which of these three analogies connects the most with you? Why?
What lessons do you glean from the three analogies that Paul uses?
Are you willing to do what is necessary to follow Jesus? Do you consider following Christ a sprint or a marathon? How do you follow Jesus over the long haul so that you endure?
In verse 7, Paul calls Timothy to “reflect on what [he] is saying, for the Lord will give [Timothy] insight into all this.” Do you build in time to think about and seek what the Lord is saying? How can you do that more and more?
In Clay’s sermon, he said that when we are suffering, we should look to Jesus. How does looking to Jesus help us to endure?
What are some specific ways that we can look to Jesus this week?

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Notes

“Strength to See Through Suffering”

2 Timothy 2:3-7

1. Suffering tempts us to:

a. Feel isolated

b. Focus on the pain

c. Fall away

2.How should we endure suffering?

a. Like a soldier… don’t get caught up

b. Like an athlete… don’t escape the difficulty

c. Like a farmer… don’t forget the harvest

3.Don’t look to suffering, look through suffering

a. In the midst of suffering, it matters where I focus

b. When I focus on Christ, I find the strength to endure

When I am in the midst of suffering, I will look to Jesus

Core Christlike Characteristic: Spirit Led Servant/Living Surrendered