1.     What can we learn about God’s purposes and suffering from the story of Joseph (Gen. 50:20-21, pg. 134-36)? 

2.     Davis mentioned several “heroes of the faith” (pg. 142-47) who are examples in how they endured suffering in their lives with contentment. Which of these examples encourages you and why? Are there other examples of Christians you know who have suffered well?   

3.     Davis shares “seven prayerful meditations to help sufferers conquer” (pg. 150-55). Which of these do tend or forget or have a hard time believing when you are suffering?  Which of these meditations stirs your heart the most? 

4.     What has God taught you about himself through suffering in your life? Are there any ways you are currently suffering and would like prayer or encouragement for? 

1.     Davis writes, “Burroughs’s goal was very plain…he wanted his readers to hate the wicked habit of complaining against God during afflictions, to see how vile and corrupt a thing it is…” Is this how you view complaining, as a “wicked habit…vile and corrupt”? Or are you ever tempted to minimize complaining as something that isn’t really a big deal?

2.     Davis lists out nine different “Evils of Complaining” on pages 110-120. Which of these did you find insightful, challenging or helpful as we seek to have a right understanding of what is happening when we complain?

3.     Davis gives seven different excuses we often give into when complaining (pg. 121-127). Which of these do you struggle with most? Which of these has God helped you to grow in and what has that looked like? 

Discussion Questions

1. Of the seven aspects of contentment the author describes, which is most challenging to you? How can this help motivate you to pursue contentment?

2. On pages 104-105, the author shows how contentment can help you fight temptations. Where in your life do you need to cultivate more contentment in order to resist temptation?

3. How does the author connect contentment and hope (see pages 106-107)? What promises of God can you remind yourself of this week as you seek to be more hope filled and content?

1.     How was Jesus able to remain perfectly content, despite the fact that he endured intense hardship and suffering throughout his life? What do you find striking about his example? 

2.     How did Christ win us access to the Father? How does access to God help us to be content? How is our access to God different than access to the emperor of the Forbidden City described on page 88? 

3.     How does the death and resurrection of Jesus promote and cultivate contentment in our hearts?