IN SUFFERING, EVEN FAITHFUL FRIENDS CAN MISREPRESENT GOD SAYING… Job 2:11-13 “You must ” Job 4:7-8; 11:4-6; 22:5-11 (Eliphaz and Zophar) “Just ” Job 8:1-6 (Bildad) “God must be trying to ” Job 33:14-18 (Elihu) INSTEAD OF CLICHÉS, WHAT WE NEED ARE THOSE WHO… Are willing to Job 2:13 Give us space Job 10:1; 19:23-24 And help us when answers aren’t easy Job 16:1-5; 19-21 Questions for Further Reflection & Discussion Doug opened the message with a story about someone who broke their leg and got three very different explanations from three different friends. Have you ever experienced something hard and had people offer conflicting opinions about why it happened or what you should do? How did that affect you? Read Job 2:11-13 and review the outline. What connects for you from your reading and the message? Job’s friends started well by sitting silently with him (Job 2:13). Why is silence often more powerful than words in grief or pain? Which of the three statements (“You must deserve this,” “Just pray harder,” or “God must be trying to teach you something”) have you heard, or perhaps even said, in times of suffering? What are some other less-than-helpful clichés that people rattle off when others are suffering? What does it mean to “give space to wrestle” in someone else’s spiritual journey (see Job 10:1; 19:23–24)? How can we create space for that in our communities? What might it look like to help someone trust God when there are no clear answers? Is there someone in your life who might need your presence more than your words right now? What might “being there” practically look like for them? What’s one thing you’ve learned about God — or about yourself — from a time of suffering that words alone could never have taught you? Extra credit: For a deeper dive into this message, listen to the podcast, Unhurried with Doug Kyle on Youtube or wherever you get your podcasts.