Part 4 – I Know Better Than God
Leader Guide
We often want to follow God, but we also have our own “really good” plans. Maybe God’s promise seems unclear, or late, or is not leading us the way we want to go. Why should we trust Him and wait for His direction and provision? Check it out in this study.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
Leader: This section is designed to get discussions started, examine God’s truth, and apply it to our week. Life Group leaders should not assume everyone in their group is a Christ follower. Because they are taking part in a Life Group, they must have some openness to knowing more, exploring. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work and let Him lead you as well.
1. Have you ever sensed God’s promise in an area of your life? Did it take a long time to come to pass...or are you still waiting?
2. Read Genesis 15:1-4. How did God speak to Abram? If God appeared to you and He promised you a reward, what do you think your reaction would be? What was Abram’s attitude and complaint? What was he really wanting, besides an heir?
Leader’s Note: God spoke to Abram in a vision. Most of us would be awed, excited, and grateful to have spoken to God and been promised a reward. But Abram doesn’t seem impressed. This was also not his first encounter. He was already “used to” God and doesn’t treat Him especially respectfully. Besides an heir, what Abram wants is details and specificity. “When will I have an heir? Will it just be my servant?” We ALL want more details than God usually provides. That is part of the faith journey as we follow Him! We must choose to follow, even when we don’t know the entire plan. However, as when we don’t understand, it is good that Abram brings his confusion and concern back to God.
3. Read 2 Peter 1:4. How do the promises of God sustain us? How have they sustained you in the past? What promise is most difficult for you to believe? Use this link to review a few of God’s promises. Print them out. Begin to memorize them.
Leader’s Note: By focusing on God and His promises, we grow to know and understand His divine power, His great love for us, and His eternal nature. The promises of God comfort and carry us in the sad times. Studying and meditation on God’s Word are ways we can push back against the “I know better” temptations we face. Read and study for soul comfort in the hard times! In some mysterious way, the promise of a glorious future and the fulfillment of all God’s purposes keep us focused on eternal things, not things of this earth and our sinful temptations.
4. Read Genesis 15:5-6 and Genesis 16:1-2. How do you characterize Abram’s faith in these two passages? What has happened to his faith? Read 2 Corinthians 5:7-8 and Hebrews 11:8-12. Do you blame Sarai, who had not yet been specified as part of the promise? Whose voice do you listen to when faith and logic are at odds? Even after his mistakes, why do you think Abraham is listed as a hero of faith?
Leader’s Note: Abram appears to really trust and believe God fully; God “credits it to him as righteousness” so it must have been a genuine faith. But after the long delay, he is ready to “make it happen” with Sarai’s work-around, trying to “help” God accomplish this miracle. Yet, highs and lows are common in human experience. Do not beat yourself up when your faith is weak. Seek God and trust Him anew.
5. In what area of your life do you “know better” than God, especially when you see no benefits to doing it God’s way? Is it in finances, where tithing does not make sense?“We’ll give when we have more margin.” Is it in the area of sexual purity, where God’s plan seems a bit too simplistic for this very complex cultural situation? What about taking a Sabbath and spending time reconnecting with God, your church family, and your own family? Does this seem to be counter to what your boss and career dreams require?
6. Action Step: Examine yourself. Where does your allegiance lie: with worldly wisdom or with God’s Word? Finally, read Proverbs 3:5. Talk to God about the things you do not understand. Then prioritize faith over understanding.
Deeper
Leader: This section is designed for further use in your Life Group or for personal study. These can also be used as discussion points and ways to stay connected with your group throughout the week. Encourage your group to take time daily to walk through these questions.
How many times must God prove Himself to gain your trust? Don’t despair. It is natural for people to trust, then fall away, then regain their trust. Consider Abraham, to whom God spoke directly.
7. Read Genesis 12:1-7, 13:14-17, 15:4-6, 17:1-4, 15-17, 18: 10-14, 21:1-7. How many times did God reaffirm His promises? What were some of the reactions to God’s words by both Abraham and Sarah?
Leader’s Note: Sometimes, Abram had faith. Sometimes he laughed. Sarai also laughed. They doubted, they questioned, and they connived. Yet God was faithful and made a great nation of him. He is still considered the father of the people of God because of his faith.
8. How old was Abram in Genesis 12:1-4? How old at the time of Isaac’s birth (Genesis 21:5)? Have you waited this long for God’s answer? Can the amount of time which passes negate the promise?
Leader’s Note: Abram was 75 when first promised a child. Isaac was born when he was 100. Twenty-five years may seem like an impossibly long time to way, but is a “blink of the eye” in God’s timeframe. That’s why we must cling to the promise and trust God’s plan, timing, and purpose.
9. Have you ever made your own “Plan b”? Has God been faithful to you despite your mistake? Take time to thank Him for His forgiveness and patience with you.