Week 1:
Small Group Study Guide: “Worship in the Storm”
Scripture: Job 1:1–22
Theme: Pain, suffering, and trusting God’s justice
Duration: ~40 minutes
Group Size: 4–10 people
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Opening Thought (5 minutes)
Leader intro:
“Tonight, we’re beginning a journey through the Book of Job. It’s one of the most honest, raw, and challenging books in the Bible. It asks: Why do good people suffer? And it doesn’t offer simple answers—but it does give us a place to stand: God’s wisdom is greater than our understanding, and He is with us, even in the storm.”
Optional Icebreaker:
What’s your go-to reaction when life hits hard—withdraw, push through, question, or something else?
📖 2. Scripture Reading (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 1:1–22
Context Recap (Leader):
Job is introduced as a righteous man—blameless and upright—yet he suffers immensely. The story pulls back the curtain, revealing that Job’s suffering is not punishment, but part of a cosmic story. His response? Grief, yes—but also worship.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
🔍 God’s Trust in Job
God allows Job to be tested—not to harm him, but because He trusts Job’s faith.
Q: How does it change your view of suffering if God trusts us to walk through it, instead of just allowing it?
🔥 Suffering Is Not Punishment
The story challenges the idea that bad things happen only to bad people.
Q: Why do you think we so often link suffering with guilt—even subconsciously? Have you ever experienced or seen that mindset?
🙌 Job’s Response: Worship in Grief
“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Q: What does this kind of response look like practically? How do we hold both pain and praise in real life?
🔄 4. Personal Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (silent journaling or open share):
“Think of a time when you—or someone close to you—faced deep loss. What helped you hold on to faith during that season? Or what would you want from God and others if you were in Job’s shoes?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
Use these prayer points individually or in pairs:
Comfort for the Hurting – Pray for anyone you know walking through grief, loss, or pain right now.
Trust in Trials – Ask for deeper trust in God’s goodness when life feels confusing or unfair.
Faith Like Job’s – Invite God to shape your heart to worship even when you don’t understand.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader closing thought:
“Job shows us that suffering is not always about punishment—it’s sometimes about purpose. We may not get the full story, but we’re invited to worship in the mystery. This week, reach out to someone you know who’s hurting. Remind them they’re not alone—and that God hasn’t left them.”
Week 2:
Small Group Study Guide: “Miserable Comforters”
Scripture: Job 5:1–7, 6:1–10
Theme: Comforting others with compassion, not condemnation
Duration: ~40 minutes
Group Size: 4–10 people
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Opening Thought (5 minutes)
Leader intro:
“Tonight, we’re diving into one of the more painful parts of Job’s story—not just his suffering, but the failure of his friends to truly comfort him. They meant well, but their words hurt more than they healed. This is a powerful reminder that how we show up in others’ pain matters deeply—and that Christ calls us to comfort not with condemnation, but with compassion.”
Optional Icebreaker:
When you’ve been going through something hard, what’s one thing someone did or said that really helped? What made it comforting?
📖 2. Scripture Reading (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 5:1–7 (Eliphaz’s argument: suffering = sin)
Job 6:1–10 (Job’s response: deep grief, longing for kindness)
Context Recap (Leader):
Job’s friends start well—they sit with him in silence for seven days. But once they speak, things unravel. They reduce God to a formula: “If you suffer, you must have sinned.” Job, still grieving, calls them “miserable comforters.” He doesn’t need lectures—he needs love.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
⚠️ Misapplied Theology Hurts
Eliphaz speaks some truth—but without compassion or context, it becomes harmful.
Q: Have you ever experienced or witnessed someone using Scripture or theology in a way that hurt more than it helped? What made it damaging—or healing?
❤️ God Is Personal, Not a Formula
Job’s friends treat God like a vending machine: sin in, punishment out. But Jesus shows us a God who draws near to the brokenhearted.
Q: What’s the difference between offering someone answers vs offering them presence? Which do you think people need more in suffering—and why?
✝️ Justice and Mercy Meet at the Cross
God doesn’t dismiss suffering—but He meets it with mercy. The cross is where pain is taken seriously, and grace is offered freely.
Q: When we see others suffer, do we instinctively look for why—or can we sit with the what is and bring grace into it? What does that look like practically?
🔄 4. Personal Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (quiet or journaling):
“Think of someone in your life who is suffering right now. How might you offer them comfort this week—not with explanations, but with presence, grace, and compassion?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
Use these prayer points individually or in pairs:
For Compassion – Ask for hearts that reflect Jesus in how we listen, comfort, and walk with others in pain.
For Wisdom – Pray for sensitivity when offering truth, that we’d always season it with grace.
For Trust – Lift up situations where justice or mercy feel out of reach, and ask for deep trust in God’s goodness.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader closing thought:
“Job’s friends had the chance to bring comfort, but their words wounded instead. Let’s be people who show up like Jesus does—gentle, kind, patient, and full of grace. This week, reach out to someone who’s hurting. Not to ‘fix’ them—but to remind them they’re not alone.”
Week 3:
Small Group Study Guide: “Suffering, Death, and Rebirth”
Scripture: Job 13:20–25; 14:7–17
Theme: Wrestling with suffering and holding on to hope
Duration: ~40 minutes
Group Size: 4–10 people
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Opening Thought (5 minutes)
Leader intro:
“Job’s story is messy, raw, and deeply human. This week we see him asking some of life’s biggest questions—Why is there suffering? Where is God? Is there any hope beyond death? While Job didn’t have all the answers, he still reached out to God, not away from Him. In Jesus, we now have a clearer picture of God's justice and mercy—and a hope that endures even when nothing else makes sense.”
Optional Icebreaker:
When life feels overwhelming, are you more likely to bottle things up, or talk them through? What helps you keep going in those moments?
📖 2. Scripture Reading (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 13:20–25 (Job pleads with God to not hide from him)
Job 14:7–17 (Job reflects on death, renewal, and the possibility of hope)
Context Recap (Leader):
Job feels abandoned, yet he keeps crying out to God. His pain is deep, but so is his longing for connection. In chapter 14, he speaks of a tree that might sprout again—hinting at the hope of renewal, even when life feels cut off.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
💔 Suffering Isn’t Always About Sin
Job’s friends assume he must be guilty—but Job insists he’s innocent. His story challenges the idea that suffering is always a punishment.
Q: How do we sometimes make similar assumptions about people’s pain—whether our own or others’? What’s a healthier way to think about suffering?
🗣️ God Welcomes Honest Questions
Job pours out his pain and confusion to God, not holding back. And God doesn’t reject him for it.
Q: What does it look like to “wrestle with God” in a healthy way? How can we encourage that kind of honesty in our church or small group?
🌱 Hope Even in Despair
Job doesn’t yet understand resurrection, but he imagines the possibility of new life. In Jesus, we have that promise fully.
Q: How does the hope of eternal life reshape the way we deal with suffering and loss in the present?
🔄 4. Personal Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (quiet or journaling):
“Is there an area of your life where you feel like Job—confused, frustrated, or hurting? How might you bring that honestly to God this week, trusting Him even without full understanding?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
Use these prayer points individually, in pairs, or as a group:
For Trust in Uncertainty – Ask God for deeper faith in His goodness, even when life doesn’t make sense.
For Honest Faith – Pray for the courage to bring our full selves—questions, grief, and all—before God.
For the Suffering – Lift up those who are in pain today. Ask that they would sense God’s presence and hold onto hope, even in the darkest moments.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader closing thought:
“Job didn’t get easy answers—but he did find a deeper encounter with God. In Jesus, we see that God not only listens to our cries—He joins us in our suffering. This week, let’s practise that same kind of presence: with God, and with those around us who are hurting.”
Challenge:
Reach out to someone who may be struggling this week. You don’t need the perfect words—just be present. And bring your own struggles to God with honesty and hope.
Week 4:
Small Group Study Guide: “My Redeemer Lives”
Scripture: Job 19:13–27
Theme: Trusting God’s redemption in the midst of suffering
Duration: ~40 minutes
Group Size: 4–10 people
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Opening Thought (5 minutes)
Leader intro:
“Job’s suffering is raw and overwhelming—he’s abandoned, misunderstood, and feels totally alone. But then comes this remarkable declaration of faith: ‘I know that my Redeemer lives.’ In the middle of unanswered questions, Job clings to the hope that God will vindicate and restore him. That same hope is fully revealed in Jesus, our Redeemer who suffers with us and saves us.”
Optional Icebreaker:
What’s something that helps you stay hopeful or grounded when life feels confusing or hard?
📖 2. Scripture Reading (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 19:13–27
(Job laments his isolation and rejection, but declares his belief that his Redeemer lives and will one day stand upon the earth.)
Context Recap (Leader):
At this point in the story, Job has lost everything—his wealth, his health, his children, and the support of his community. But in a flash of clarity, he declares trust in a living Redeemer—foreshadowing the resurrection hope we now know through Jesus.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
🕊️ Job as a Foreshadow of Jesus
Job suffers as an innocent man, misunderstood and judged by others—just like Jesus.
Q: How does Job’s story help us understand more deeply what Jesus experienced for us?
🔥 Faith in the Fire
Job’s words, “I know my Redeemer lives,” show a faith that endures even when everything else falls apart.
Q: What does this kind of faith look like today? How do we hold onto hope when life feels silent or unfair?
💡 Redemption in Suffering
Suffering is often mysterious—but God promises redemption, not just relief.
Q: How can we shift our perspective to see our struggles through the lens of God’s greater plan—especially the cross and resurrection of Jesus?
🔄 4. Personal Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (quiet or journaling):
“Where in your life do you feel like Job—misunderstood, isolated, or confused? What would it look like to say, even there, ‘I know my Redeemer lives’?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
You can pray silently, in pairs, or as a group:
For Strength in Suffering – Ask God for the endurance to keep trusting Him when life doesn’t make sense.
For Compassionate Support – Pray that we would comfort others like Jesus, with presence and grace—not with shallow answers.
For a Resurrection Perspective – Invite God to help you see your pain and your story through the lens of Jesus’ redemption.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader closing thought:
“Job’s friends offered explanations—Job offered trust. That kind of faith isn’t tidy, but it’s real. And Jesus shows us that God doesn’t just explain suffering—He enters into it with us. When we say, ‘I know my Redeemer lives,’ we’re declaring that our pain isn’t the end of the story.”
Challenge:
This week, look for one opportunity to support someone in pain—not with answers, but with love. And each morning, start your day by declaring: ‘I know my Redeemer lives.’
Week 5:
Small Group Study Guide: “Looking for Wisdom in All the Wrong Places”
Scripture: Job 28:9–15, 20–28
Theme: Seeking God’s wisdom amidst suffering
Duration: ~40 minutes
Group Size: 4–10 people
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Opening Thought (5 minutes)
Leader Intro:
“We live in a world overflowing with information—but that doesn’t mean we have wisdom. In the middle of his suffering, Job asks one of life’s biggest questions: Where can wisdom be found? He comes to realize that real wisdom isn’t discovered through effort, intellect, or wealth, but in fearing God and turning away from evil. Today, we’ll explore what that means for us—especially when life feels confusing or painful.”
Optional Icebreaker:
What’s a piece of advice or wisdom you heard growing up that you now see differently?
📖 2. Scripture Reading (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 28:9–15, 20–28
(Job poetically describes humanity’s search for hidden treasures—and how wisdom, unlike gold or silver, cannot be found or bought. It is rooted in revering God.)
Context Recap (Leader):
Job, deep in reflection, contrasts our ability to find hidden things—like precious metals—with our inability to grasp true wisdom. After losing everything, he realises wisdom isn’t about answers or control. It’s about a right relationship with God.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
🧠 The Limits of Human Understanding
Job concludes that even the most brilliant minds and successful people can’t attain wisdom without God.
Q: In what ways do we tend to look for wisdom or peace in the wrong places—like self-help, success, or control?
💥 Faith in the Midst of Suffering
True wisdom holds on to God, especially when life doesn’t make sense.
Q: How does Job’s search for wisdom challenge our expectations about suffering, fairness, and God’s justice?
🧎 Surrendering to God
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom.” Job realises that reverence, humility, and trust in God lead to real understanding.
Q: What does it look like in everyday life to live with “the fear of the Lord”? How can that shape our decisions and responses to hardship?
🔄 4. Personal Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (quiet or journaling):
“Where in your life are you relying on your own wisdom or control? What might it mean to surrender that area to God and seek His perspective instead?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
You can pray silently, in pairs, or as a group:
For Trust in God – Ask for deeper trust in God’s wisdom, even when life feels confusing or painful.
For Godly Wisdom – Pray for discernment and insight to navigate challenges with faith and grace.
For Surrender – Invite God to show you where you may be clinging to your own way, and ask for the strength to place Him first.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader closing thought:
“Wisdom isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about knowing who to trust. Job’s pain didn’t vanish, but his perspective shifted. Let’s aim for that kind of wisdom—not to ‘solve’ life, but to walk closely with the One who holds it all together.”
Challenge:
Each day this week, begin your day by asking God: ‘Lord, give me wisdom and help me to fear You above all else.’ Take one practical step to let go of control and trust His way instead of your own.
Week 6:
Small Group Study Guide: “God Speaks”
Scripture: Job 38:1–7; 40:1–12; 42:1–6
Theme: God's Sovereignty, Suffering, and Christ’s Victory
Duration: ~40 minutes
Ideal Group Size: 4–10 participants
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Introduction (5 minutes)
Leader Intro:
“This week we reach a turning point in the story of Job—God speaks. After all the questions, complaints, and arguments, God responds, not with answers, but with a bigger perspective. Instead of explaining suffering, God reveals His power and control over creation, over forces far beyond our understanding. This changes everything for Job—and it can for us, too.”
Optional Icebreaker:
Have you ever had a moment where your perspective completely changed about a situation or a person? What caused the shift?
📖 2. Read the Scriptures (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 38:1–7 – God speaks from the storm, questioning Job about the foundations of creation.
Job 40:1–12 – God challenges Job, referencing Behemoth, a symbol of chaos beyond human control.
Job 42:1–6 – Job responds with humility, repenting for speaking beyond his understanding.
Context Recap (Leader):
After chapters of silence, God speaks—not to justify Job’s suffering but to reveal a bigger truth: that He is sovereign, wise, and in control, even over chaos. Behemoth and Leviathan (later in Job 41) represent untamed forces—evil, destruction, suffering—that only God can manage. This foreshadows Christ’s ultimate defeat of chaos and evil.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
🌍 God’s Sovereignty and Perspective
God doesn’t answer why Job suffers—but shows that Job can trust who is in control.
Q: How does understanding God’s greatness help us face situations we don’t understand?
Q: What happens when we try to put God into our own limited categories or expectations?
🐉 The Reality of Evil and Chaos
God describes wild, untamable creatures—symbols of the chaotic and destructive forces that exist in the world.
Q: What forces of “chaos” or brokenness do you see around us today? How do you respond to them?
Q: Why is it important to remember that only God—not us—can fully conquer these forces?
✝️ Jesus as the Victor
Jesus subdues sin, death, and evil through the cross, just as God is shown mastering creation and chaos in Job.
Q: How does Christ’s victory change the way you view suffering, sin, or even death?
Q: What would it look like to live daily in the freedom and confidence of Jesus’ victory?
🔄 4. Quiet Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (silent or journaling):
“Job said, ‘My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.’ What’s one area of your life where you need to move from knowing about God to truly seeing Him as Lord?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
Pray in pairs, groups, or silently. Consider these focuses:
Trust in God’s Wisdom – For faith to surrender to God’s plan, even when we don't understand.
Protection from Evil – For God to shield us from the chaos that surrounds and tempts us.
Thanksgiving for Christ’s Victory – For gratitude and courage to live in the freedom and power Jesus has won.
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader’s Closing Thought:
“Job’s story reminds us that while we may not always get answers, we are invited into something greater: to see and trust the God who rules the universe and walks with us in suffering. Through Jesus, we not only endure suffering—we overcome it.”
Challenge:
Each day this week, pray a short, simple prayer of surrender: ‘God, I trust Your wisdom and power—even when I don’t understand.’ Let that trust guide one decision or reaction each day.
Week 7:
Small Group Study Guide: “My Servant Job”
Scripture: Job 42:7–17
Theme: Faith, Reconciliation, and Restoration
Duration: ~40 minutes
Ideal Group Size: 4–10 participants
⏱️ 1. Welcome & Introduction (5 minutes)
Leader Intro:
“This week we conclude the story of Job—not with all questions answered, but with a deeper sense of who God is and how He works through suffering. Job’s journey reminds us that real faith isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about staying in relationship with God through it all. His story ends with reconciliation and restoration, pointing us ultimately to Jesus and the promise of eternal life.”
Optional Icebreaker:
What’s something in your life that didn’t go as planned, but that you now see helped you grow or change in a meaningful way?
📖 2. Read the Scripture (5–7 minutes)
Read aloud:
Job 42:7–17 – God rebukes Job’s friends, restores Job’s fortunes, and blesses him again.
Leader Recap (brief):
God affirms that Job spoke truthfully, even in his wrestling. Job intercedes for his friends, and through that act of grace, reconciliation, and obedience, restoration follows. Job’s faith is refined, and God's sovereign grace is made clear—not as a reward for Job’s goodness, but as a reflection of His love.
💬 3. Group Discussion (15–20 minutes)
🙏 Faith in Suffering
Job’s faith held through unimaginable pain, not by denying his hurt but by continuing to talk with God.
Q: How does Job’s example challenge or encourage you in your own trials?
Q: What helps you stay connected to God during times of pain or doubt?
🕊 Reconciliation with Others
Job prays for his friends—the very people who misunderstood and accused him.
Q: Why do you think God asked Job to pray for them?
Q: What does this teach us about the power and cost of forgiveness in our own lives?
🌅 Restoration by Grace
Job is restored—not because he earned it, but because of God’s grace.
Q: What does this teach us about God’s character and how He blesses us?
Q: How can we live with that same confidence in God’s goodness—even when life is hard?
🔄 4. Quiet Reflection (3–5 minutes)
Prompt (silent or journaling):
“Job’s first family was not forgotten—his final blessing hints at the hope of eternal life. In your own life, where do you need to trust that God sees beyond what you can see? What would it mean to surrender that area to Him?”
🙏 5. Prayer Time (5 minutes)
Prayer Focus:
Trust in God’s Plan – For strength to believe that God is good and working, even when we don’t understand.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation – For the grace to forgive and love those who have hurt or misunderstood us.
Endurance and Hope – For the endurance to hold onto faith in times of struggle, and the hope of eternal life.
(Encourage people to pray in pairs, as a group, or quietly depending on group comfort.)
🎤 6. Wrap-Up & Weekly Challenge (2–3 minutes)
Leader’s Final Thought:
“Job’s story doesn’t wrap up with neat answers, but with deeper relationship, restored trust, and renewed hope. That’s our invitation too—faith that holds on, even in suffering, and lives out grace toward others. Like Job, we can trust that God is always at work, and that in Jesus, restoration and eternal life are guaranteed.”
Weekly Challenge:
This week, identify one person you need to forgive or pray for. Ask God to help you take a step toward reconciliation, even if it’s just through prayer.