What prompts a winter's night? Discuss the four answers
1) Limited understanding — God teaches truth for a greater task. 2) Sin that needs confession and correction. 3) Wrong direction — see it and turn back. 4)…
Lesson 8 · Course 59
Dealing with Trials
A winter’s night is meant to prepare you, not destroy you — trials that build faith.
At a glance
Summary
A winter’s night is meant to prepare you, not destroy you — trials that build faith. Trials build faith, reveal weaknesses, correct sin or wrong direction, and prepare believers for God’s work.
Auto-graded 10/10 (100%) on attempt 1. Essays not graded yet. Attempts used: 1 of 3. Quiz has 10 true/false items plus 3 essays.
Big ideas
What to teach and remember
- Trials build faith, reveal weaknesses, correct sin or wrong direction, and prepare believers for God’s work.
- Loneliness is unwanted isolation. Solitude is chosen time with God.
- Scripture, effective prayer, Christian friends, and meaningful relationships help us through difficulty.
- Usually the deeper the winter’s night, the greater the preparation for future usefulness. God allows frustration and pain to move us closer to Him.
- Most of God’s great servants went through great trials — including Paul. Before God uses people in a mighty way, He often allows a long, dark, lonely night to build mighty faith.
- A winter’s night may come from limited understanding, unconfessed sin, a wrong direction, or a need to learn patience for a new vision.
Key terms
People, places, and words that matter
the prescription to get through a dark night?
Know the spiritual purpose of the frustration; do not let it destroy self-worth. Use loneliness to draw closer to Christ. Look for what God wants to give. Let…
What do we learn from those who failed their time of te
Samson was blind to what God was doing. Others gave in to evil desire. Demas loved this present world and lost sight of God’s purpose. Saul would not wait or…
Loneliness
Loneliness is unwanted isolation
Solitude
Solitude is chosen time with God
Structure
Outline / timeline
- What prompts a winter's night? Discuss the four answers.
- What is the prescription to get through a dark night?
- What do we learn from those who failed their time of testing?
Must remember
Facts to keep straight
| Quiz score | 100% (1 attempt) |
|---|---|
| Key claim | Trials build faith, reveal weaknesses, correct sin or wrong direction, and prepare believers for God’s work. |
| Key claim | Loneliness is unwanted isolation. Solitude is chosen time with God. |
| Key claim | Scripture, effective prayer, Christian friends, and meaningful relationships help us through difficulty. |
For the pulpit
Sermon hooks
- Trials build faith, reveal weaknesses, correct sin or wrong direction, and prepare believers for God’s work.
- Scripture, effective prayer, Christian friends, and meaningful relationships help us through difficulty.
- Most of God’s great servants went through great trials — including Paul. Before God uses people in a mighty way, He often allows…
Quiz drill
Quiz drill / review · open to practice · 10 items
Quiz score: 100% · 1 attempt
1. During a time of testing a person learns his/her weaknesses or failures
TrueMoodle punctuation kept (no period). Testing exposes weakness so it can be healed.
2. In times of testing, we wrestle with our faulty self-perception to learn to see ourselves as God sees us.
TrueThe test is also a mirror — God’s view, not ours.
3. Usually the deeper the winter's night, the greater preparation for future usefulness.
TrueDeep night, deep preparation.
4. It is not enough to yield to God. He tests us to determine our dedication to do His will.
TrueYielding is the start. Testing proves dedication.
5. Jerry Falwell first said, "The world has yet to see what God can do with a person fully dedicated to Him."
FalseMoodle: False. Falwell did not first say it.
6. God allows frustration and pain to move us closer to Him.
TruePain that draws, not pain that merely hurts.
7. Samson was blind to what God was doing.
TrueHe failed the test by being blind to God’s work — then literally blind.
8. Joseph was isolated in Egypt's slavery and prison before God used him to feed a starving world.
TrueThe pit and the prison came before the palace.
9. Most of God's great servants went through great trials, except Saul of Tarsus (Paul) who learned from his life in Judaism.
FalsePaul is not the exception. He suffered greatly. Moodle: False.
10. Before God uses people in a mighty way, He allows them to suffer in a long, dark, lonely night to build in them mighty faith.
TrueMighty faith is often forged in a long night.
Essay themes
If you preach or review
What prompts a winter's night? Discuss the four answers.
1) Limited understanding — God teaches truth for a greater task. 2) Sin that needs confession and correction. 3) Wrong direction — see it and turn back. 4) Need to learn patience and wait for a new vision. These times prepare; they are not meant to destroy.
What is the prescription to get through a dark night?
Know the spiritual purpose of the frustration; do not let it destroy self-worth. Use loneliness to draw closer to Christ. Look for what God wants to give. Let your loneliness become ministry to others with the same problem. Study biblical relationships, pray for a meaningful friendship, turn negative thoughts inside out, do something useful, and add friends to your prayer list.
What do we learn from those who failed their time of testing?
Samson was blind to what God was doing. Others gave in to evil desire. Demas loved this present world and lost sight of God’s purpose. Saul would not wait or obey — he intruded into the priest’s office and later gave incomplete obedience concerning Amalek. Stay humble, resist temptation, keep God’s purpose in view, and obey fully.