By Michael Mack

1. Who would you want on your side if you were in a fight? (Choose: physical battle, sickness, emotional or relational struggle, financial issue, or other.)

Read Romans 8:28-39.

2. What promises from God can you identify in this passage? What conditions are there on these promises?

3. What do you learn from this passage about the process God takes to work in our lives?

4. Break into three subgroups. Each group will compare and contrast what Jesus said in relation to today’s passage and answer this question: How do Jesus’ statements help you better understand or relate to the Romans 8 passage? Group 1 read Matthew 6:25-34. Group 2 read John 10:1-10. Group 3 read John 14:1-14. Then gather back together and share what each subgroup discovered.

5. If God is all-powerful, totally in control, and loves us unconditionally, how does that impact the way we perceive difficult circumstances or persecution?

6. Imagine that a friend tells you they think God no longer loves them because they are facing troubles and trials. How would you respond?

Michael C. Mack leads church training events and consults with churches through his ministry, Small Group Leadership (www.smallgroupleadership.com).