Principles from this week's lesson

Here are some principles to talk about from this week's lesson.

1. We must remember that adversity came into the world as a result of Adam’s sin. God did not invent it, but He does use it to cleanse and strengthen the lives of His people.
2. We can handle tests and trials if our relationship with God is open and trusting.  Only then can we discern the pattern of His will amid the turmoil of adversity.
3. The Lord is one God, but He manifests the totality of His nature in various ways (as powerful, faithful Ruler; as a personal Ruler; and as Savior, for example).  Simplistic notions about Him being merely “the man upstairs” mask the truth and deceive people.
4. When we are tempted to question God by asking how He could allow His people to suffer, we must remember that He loves us and does what is best for us, and that He permits testing to strengthen our faith. Despite appearances, God’s love for His own is unchanging.
5. We can never allow our love for God’s blessings (such as home, family, and vocational success) to surpass our love for Him or our desire to know Him more intimately. The greater our knowledge of God, the easier it will be to trust His loving nature.
6. Only one response is appropriate when our faith is tested: immediate, trusting obedience. We should say, “Here I am, Lord, at your service.”  When our faith is tested, we must not attempt to escape the trial or alleviate our