“But why are you now screaming in terror?
Have you no king to lead you?
Have your wise people all died?
Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.Writhe and groan like a woman in labor,
You people of Jerusalem,
For now you must leave this city
To live in the open country.
You will soon be sent in exile
To distant Babylon.
But the Lord will rescue you there;
He will redeem you from the grip of your enemies.” —Micah 4:9-10 NLT
Trust the Process
“But why are you now screaming in terror?” —Micah 4:9 NLT
“Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like and open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.” —Micah 3:12 NLT
“Have you no king to lead you? Have your wise people all died?” —Micah 4:9 NLT
“This is what the Lord says–Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: ‘I am the First and the Last; there is no other God.’” —Isaiah 44:6 NLT
“For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.” —Isaiah 33:22 NLT
“I am the Lord, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King.” —Isaiah 43:15 NLT
“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” —Isaiah 9:6 NLT
“Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth. Writhe and groan like a woman in labor you people of Jerusalem.
For now you must leave this city to live in the open country. You will soon be sent to exile to distant Babylon.” —Micah 4:9-10 NLT
“But the Lord will rescue you there; He will redeem you from the grip of your enemies.” —Micah 4:10 NLT
“Don’t be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the Lord, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.” —Isaiah 41:14 NLT
“This is what the Lord says– your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.’” —Isaiah 48:17 NLT
“Yet even now, be free from your captivity! Leave Babylon and the Babylonians. Sing out this message! Shout it to the ends of the earth! The has redeemed His servants, the people of Israel.” —Isaiah 48:20 NLT
“‘I know the Lord has given you this land,’ she told them. ‘We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and go, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, who people you completely destroyed.
No wonder our hearts have melted in fear1 No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.” —Joshua 2:9-11 NLT
“When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” —James 1:2-4 NLT
Discussion Questions
Describe a time in your life where you were forced to trust the process. What was the situation? What were the circumstances? What was the process you found yourself in? What were you hoping was on the other side of the process?
What were some of your emotions as you navigated this process? How was your soul doing through the process? Were you experiencing impatience? Anger? Frustration? Maybe depression?
The processes we go through in life on our journey toward maturity are rarely easy. But why? Why do you think maturity doesn’t comes easy? Especially spiritual maturity?
In Micah 4:9-10, God reveals to Israel that pain will be a part of their process toward spiritual matuirty. Why was this necessary for them?
What is your reaction to the phrase, “Pain is a part of the process through which God accomplishes His purpose?” Can you give examples of this from Scripture? From your life?
According to James 1:2-4, how should we view the trials we encounter in life?