Getting to Know You, God
The God Who Listens
Teaching Strategy
The focus of this lesson is on God’s answer to prayers. Of special note is how God listens to our needs and the importance of submitting our will to His purpose.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Know: Understand the relationship between our prayer requests and God’s purpose.
- Feel: Recognize the need to submit our will to God’s purpose.
- Do: Seek to do God’s will in all elements of our life.
Body of the Lesson
Discussion Questions
Below are suggested questions to use during the guided discussion portion of the lesson. There are also suggested responses to questions to help students grasp the various concepts. These are provided to assist the discussion and are not considered as “right or wrong” responses.
1. How do you understand James 5:16b, "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much" and what makes one righteous?
Being righteous means to be right in a moral way. In the context of our relationship with God, being righteous means being in a right relationship with God (acceptable to Him). Being righteous does not mean being perfect. A righteous person not only strives to do right, but also follows our Lord's will in all things. Another view of righteousness is faithfulness to God. We are made righteous before God through our faith in the blood of Jesus Christ to save us (II Corinthians 5:21).
2. How would you respond to a person who asks you why God doesn't seem to care, no matter how much they pray?
This is a difficult question to answer and sadly, is one often asked. First, understand that there is a likelihood that the person asking this question is hurting and may be seeking understanding and relief. Explain that God always hears our prayers. This is not intended as a stock or simple answer but needs further explanation.
In the text for this lesson, the author uses Jeremiah and his thoughts from Lamentations. It is pointed out that the faithful and righteous Jeremiah was experiencing incredible sorrow along with and on behalf of the people of Israel as they suffered under Babylonian attacks. However, God continued to let Israel be punished by this pagan nation. The writer goes on to explain that God is sometimes silent for various reasons.
Explain also that we must continue to pray because God does care for us (I Peter 5:6-7). However, God answers prayers according to His time and in His way, not ours.
As you are discussing this issue with someone, show how one can grow spiritually through suffering as we learn to rely more on God. Offer to pray with and for the person, not just in a future context, but in that moment with them. This will demonstrate your faith, love and compassion, all elements normally found in a righteous person.
As an extra note, if the person speaking with you is not a Christian, this may be the moment when God is working through you to teach this person about Salvation. As an example, we read in Acts 10 where Cornelius, a Roman soldier, and non-Jew was honored by God. It is noted that Cornelius regularly prayed to God. God's immediate response was to send Peter to teach Cornelius about salvation. The same is true about Saul (Paul) from Acts 9. The passage states that he was praying. The initial answer to whatever he was praying about was that Ananias taught him about salvation. The point is, sometimes before God moves to answer prayers in other ways, (i.e. He wants the person to become His child). This takes the person towards righteousness before God, and guarantees an answer to prayer not even thought of.
3. How do you understand, "God's purpose" (see Romans 8:28)?
The intent of this question is to help us understand that our purpose is to serve and glorify God.
Sometimes God reveals to us His purpose in what He does. In many situations He choses not to reveal or partially reveal His will. For example, we know Jesus will return but we don't know when. We know the purpose is to take the faithful to be with God. In other situations, God does give us His purpose. For example, He gave Jesus to die for us so that we can be restored into a relationship with Him (John 3:16). Our role is to obey the Master regardless of our understanding. In God's time, He will reveal to us what He wishes us to know.
4. How can you use this lesson to grow spiritually and help others come into a relationship with Jesus?
Our responsibility is to submit our lives to God's purpose. In doing so, we then have purpose in our life. When we do so, our outlook and outcome of life changes from a focus exclusively on self to faithful servanthood. This gives wings to our lives enabling us to reach greater heights in our service and relationship with God.
Note: Consider adding:
When we face hurt and struggles, it doesn't necessarily mean that God has abandoned us, or is punishing us. Satan brought evil into the world and continues to attack us in three general ways:
- Satan tries to prevent a person from becoming a Christian. One way he does this is to cause suffering so the person doubts God.
- Satan tries to weaken or destroy the faith of a Christian. Again, Satan often uses the suffering in one's life or the life of others to accomplish this.
- Satan also tries to weaken our influence. If our faith is weakened, then so too is our desire to confess our faith in God to others. Confessing our faith to others is a key way in which we influence others to come to our Lord. If we doubt God's love for us and turn away from Him, then our influence to others turns them away from God as well.