"WHEN THE DOING GETS TOUGH"

How are you doing at living for the Lord?

In what ways are you living for the Lord?

In what ways is it hard to live for the Lord?

How are you growing in your walk with the Lord?

How many of you are reading your Bibles?

What are you learning?

How has your life changed as a result of what you are reading?

Proposition - As we continue in our book study - today we will talk about when the doing gets tough. I want us to think about two things: 1) God’s will for the unsaved, and 2) God’s will for the saved.

Interrogative question - What tough things are you facing right now?

If you’re feeling ill equipped to do what you’re doing, we have good news for you: God knew that from the beginning. And He is still able to complete His plans. Harris, Alex; Harris, Brett. Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are (p. 75). PRH Christian Publishing. Kindle Edition.

1. God’s Will for the unsaved -

Romans 2:4 NASB95

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

1 Timothy 2:4 NASB95

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Peter 3:20 NASB95

20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

2 Peter 3:9 NASB95

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2. God’s Will for the Saved -

One of the myths about teenagers is that teens don’t have the toughness to stick with something when it gets difficult. But this is one of the myths we have to bust if we want to do something for God—and change society’s perception of teenagers.

Problems will come as we do hard things. Instead of being surprised by them, we can know that persistence in the middle of hard things is a key to achieving our goal.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 NASB95

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

Ephesians 5:3–5 NASB95

3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Think back to when you first had the idea for your big project. In what ways are you even more excited now about what you’re doing? In what ways are you more discouraged?

“Overcoming discouragement requires that we continually remind ourselves that growth is worth the pain”. Do you agree with this statement? Why?

Describe a time when you tried to do something hard for God and it didn’t work out the way you planned. As you look back now, in what ways can you see God’s work in that situation?

Picture a line that takes you from the beginning of your project to right now. The higher the line is, the better you feel about your project. The lower it is, the more discouraged you are. Describe and/or draw the course of this line. What do you think God would say to you at your highest point? at your lowest point?

How are you feeling about the changes in yourself as a result of doing hard things? Are you surprised? disappointed? finding that you haven’t really thought about it?

At the outset, what were your expectations—personally, spiritually, and relationally—for doing hard things? In what ways have your expectations been helpful to you? In what ways might they have hurt you?

SO WHAT?