The Reality Of Suffering | John Muffler
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The Reality Of Suffering
There are moments when life feels like it’s falling apart — when the dream you thought God gave you begins to unravel. In those moments, peace feels far away. But Scripture reminds us that God’s presence is often most powerful in the places we least expect it: in the pit, in the waiting, and in the pain.
Joseph’s story in Genesis 37 begins with promise. As Jacob’s favored son, Joseph receives a beautiful robe and a dream from God about a future of honor. Yet before the dream can take shape, Joseph faces betrayal. His brothers, consumed by jealousy, tear the robe from him, throw him into a pit, and sell him into slavery. What began as a vision of glory turns into a story of rejection. Still, the thread of God’s purpose runs quietly through it all.
Suffering doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. It often means He’s preparing us. Pain has a way of shaping our hearts and drawing us closer to Him. Jesus told His followers, “In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The peace He offers isn’t about escaping hardship but finding strength within it — the kind that comes from knowing God’s hand is still at work, even when we can’t see it.
Joseph’s journey shows that God’s promises often come through a process. The pit and the prison were not detours from God’s plan; they were part of it. Through betrayal, waiting, and loss, Joseph was being shaped into the man who would one day save a nation. What looked like defeat became the foundation for his purpose.
Our own lives often follow a similar pattern. The seasons that break us can also be the ones that build us. God’s goal is not simply our comfort, but our transformation. Peace begins when we stop asking “why” and start trusting “who” — the God who weaves every moment, even suffering, into something redemptive.
When life unravels, we find hope by remembering who holds the story together. The pit is not permanent. The process is not punishment. And the peace of God is not fragile — it’s anchored in His faithfulness.
Small Group Discussion Questions
(Each question draws from Genesis 37, ESV.)
Genesis 37:3–4 — How have jealousy or favoritism caused pain in your life or relationships?
Genesis 37:5–8 — What can Joseph’s dreams teach us about sharing what God reveals to us?
Genesis 37:11 — How can we stay humble when others don’t understand what God is doing in our lives?
Genesis 37:18–20 — Have you experienced betrayal from someone close? How did God use that moment to grow you?
Genesis 37:23–24 — When have you felt “in the pit,” and how did God’s presence sustain you?
Genesis 37:28 — How does Joseph’s sale into slavery remind us that God is still sovereign in injustice?
Genesis 37:31–33 — What happens when truth is replaced with deception, and how can truth restore peace?
Genesis 37:36 — How does this verse give you hope when God seems silent?
What can Joseph’s story teach us about peace that depends on God rather than circumstances?
How can you help someone this week who feels like they’re still “in the pit”?
