End of The Rope
Week 5- God’s Antidote for Our Pain
Lamentations 3:17-26
Feb. 7, 2016
Discussion Guide
Icebreaker Questions:
- What is something you remember hoping for as a kid?
- What is one thing you hope for now?
Transition:
- What is the difference between a “wish” and hope?
- Read the following quote from Larry Crabb:
“People who find some way to deaden their pain never discover their desire for God in all its fullness. They
rather live for relief and become addicts to whatever provides it… the function of pain, to carry us into the
inner recesses of our being that wants God. We need to let soul-pain do its work by experiencing it fully.”i
- Larry Crabb, Shattered Dreams
-
Why does pain have a unique way of “carrying us into the inner recesses of our being that wants
God”?
Scripture: Lamentations 3:17-26
- What is your initial response as you read these words? What sticks out to you and why?
- What verses in this passage are most meaningful to you and why?
- The word hope is used three times in this passage. But it has a different meaning than we might
normally ascribe to the word. The Hebrew word for hope yāḥal is not an unlikely wish (“I hope
I win the Powerball”) or ignoring troubles (“maybe things will get better”). Yāḥal “hope” is
the solid ground of expectation.
- How does the idea of expectation change how you view this passage?
Discussion Questions:
Lamentations 3:17-20:
1. Describe the author’s emotional state in these verses?
2. What are some things in your life that make you say “my strength has perished”?
3. What are some things that make you lose hope?
Lamentations 3:21: The author is about to list some things that he remembers during a time of despair in
order to renew his hope.
4. What are some things you remember (or should remember) when you find yourself in a time of trial or
difficulty?
5. What do you do (or could you do) to remember those things regularly?
6. Why does pain make remembering these things so difficult?
Lamentations 3:22-26
7. The Hebrew word used for “lovingkindess” or “love” in the first part of verse 22 is the word “hesed”.
Different versions of the Bible will use different words in this verse because “hesed” is difficult to
translate. No single word in English captures its meanings. Translators use words like "kindness,"
"loving-kindness," "mercy," "loyalty." Perhaps "loyal love" is close. Hesed is one of the richest, most
powerful words in the Old Testament. It reflects the loyal love that God has for his people. How does
the idea of “hesed” help bring hope to your life?
8. How have you seen God’s loyal love in your life?
9. What do verses 22 and 23 say about God’s mercies?
10. In what way have you seen God’s mercies being “new every morning” in your life?
11. What keeps you from seeing God’s mercies on a daily basis? What can you do to better recognized
God’s mercy daily?
12. Verses 25 and 26 both mention waiting on the Lord. What does this mean?
13. How do we wait well?
14. What is the promise to those who wait on the Lord?
Application Questions:
1. God’s antidote to pain is hope- what have you learned or been reminded of this week that gives you
more hope?
2. What truth do you learn about God in these verses?
3. What truth do you learn about yourself after reading these verses?
4. What will you DO in response to this scripture? Specifically, how will you apply this passage to your life
this week?
i
Larry Crabbs, Shattered Dreams. Pg 103-104.