Get the appSuffering and God’s Love: A Moving Works StudySample
God’s Love
In a dramatic turn of events Walt and Annie discover the girl they were adopting was the daughter God planned for them all along—a brown eyed, olive skinned girl named Chloe. This wasn’t the band-aid baby or “plan B”; this was God’s design from the beginning. The curtain was pulled back and they witnessed his providential hand in writing their story. In this moment, the Spirit overwhelmed them with God’s lavish love.
It’s easy to lose sight of God’s love in the midst of a wait, isn’t it? Like Annie, our perspective becomes skewed in our pain. It seems like God is moving in everyone else’s lives but ours. Days give way to weeks, months, or even years and still nothing. The apparent absence of God’s work in our lives lends itself to the conclusion that he no longer loves us. How can we be certain of his love if “our Chloe” never arrives?
Knowing God’s Love Through Jesus Christ
God demonstrated his love by sending his only Son so we could have life in Jesus. Scripture tells us we needed this life because apart from Christ we were dead in our sins. We were enemies of God and children of wrath. We were under God’s just condemnation and were helpless to change our status.
Christ lived the perfect life you could not live, died the death you should have died, and rose to life for the forgiveness of your sins. He ascended to the Father and poured out his Spirit so you could turn towards God in faith and receive the gift of the Spirit. The Spirit now takes the gospel and applies it to your heart in such a way to say, “See how much I love you? Do you see what I’ve done? I’ve given you my only Son.” This is love. The cross of Christ tangibly proves God’s love for you!
God may choose to express his love by giving you incredible gifts such as he did by giving the Manises Chloe. What a generous blessing! However, we don’t rely on these gifts to know his love. Your immediate circumstances are never the measure of God’s love for you. His love for you is certain and secure because of the cross. Right now, regardless of your present circumstances, you can turn your gaze toward Jesus and drink deeply from the well of God’s unending love.
Commit to Memory - Romans 5:8
Scripture
About this Plan
Have you ever doubted God’s goodness during difficult seasons? It’s easy to forget the unchangeable nature of God in the midst of pain or waiting. Based on the Moving Works’ film, Chloe, this 5-day study takes you on a journey with Walt and Annie as they struggle through infertility and the doubts that accompany it. This series will remind you of God’s love, sovereignty, and faithfulness through Jesus Christ.
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We would like to thank Moving Works and Whitney Woollard for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.movingworks.org and www.whitneywoollard.com
