By Dan Lentz

1. Do you consider yourself a patient person? What people or situations test your patience the most? 

2. When your patience is pushed to the limit, what is your typical reaction?

• give up

• get mad

• get apathetic

• get _____ (fill in the blank)

Read Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18.

3. Waiting can be hard. In these verses, not only was Abraham waiting on descendants, his descendants would have to endure a waiting process as well. How did the Lord encourage Abraham (and us) in the waiting process?

4. Talk about something you have been waiting for, perhaps for a long time.

5. How has the Lord encouraged you in your waiting?

6. In these verses, the Lord made promises to Abraham. Pick one of the following promises from these verses and apply it by encouraging group members to pray prayers of hope for this promise to be fulfilled in their particular life
situations. 

• v. 1—“I am your shield, your very great reward.”

• v. 14—“I will punish the ‘nation ’ that enslaves you.”

• v. 14—“You will come out with great possessions.”

• v. 15—“You will go to your fathers in peace.”

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Dan Lentz works for the Small Group Network in Whitestown, Indiana.