Heart Over Hype: The Burden of Injustice

Use this curriculum to help you further engage with the sermon, the scriptures, and each other. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring things up to encourage and guide you so that you are always growing in your faith. If the Spirit leads you away from these questions and into conversation and prayer that encourages and points you to Jesus, go for it.

scripture

Read the following scriptures together: 1 Samuel 24.

overview

Nothing seems to fully divert Saul’s attention from pursuing David. After fighting the Philistines, he again goes after David, taking with him 3,000 of his best men. At first glance, it seems to David’s men that the Lord has given David an open door to kill Saul as he enters their cave; yet David goes against their advice and simply cuts off a piece of Saul’s robe. David is then immediately convicted of taking even this small action against Saul and rebukes his men, knowing he needs to wait on God’s timing instead of taking things into his own hands. Like David, we also might find ourselves in situations with an “open door” to do something that could be justified, but still wrong. Developing the fruit of patience will be our guide in times like this as well as taking every “open door” to God and asking for his wisdom in what to do next.

question 1

Discuss the heart posture and qualities we need to wait for God to act and not take things into our own hands. What has worked for you? What was the outcome when you went ahead of God?

discussion

Read Matthew 23:25-26. Andrew shared that 1 Samuel 24:6 has been abused in the Church and has caused believers to look away from toxic or sinful leadership, believing that if God called them to it, then we should withhold judgment. Of course, all leaders will have faults and make mistakes, but when a leader is consistently abusing or neglecting the people they are leading, this behavior needs to be addressed and held accountable. If we ever see this type of behavior, instead of gossiping or looking the other way, we need to go directly to the leader and have a conversation. If that doesn’t work, take a witness. And if that doesn’t work, tell the whole Church as directed in Matthew 18:15-17. In this case, Samuel confronted Saul, then his own son Jonathan confronted him, and now David.

question 2

What do you think keeps people from confronting toxic or abusive behavior in the Church? Have you ever had to do this? 

At the end of the chapter, Saul and David part ways with Saul asking David for an oath but also failing to admit to his own guilt or change his behavior. For us, we might confront injustice and do all the right things, yet justice is still not yet satisfied. Carrying around the injustice in our hearts and holding onto a wrong that we have no power to right is too much for us. These burdens belong to God. We get to hand the wrongs and the people over to God, rather than taking these burdens into every new relationship, job, or church that we walk into. Andrew suggested that if we need closure, we can borrow it from God and trust that in his time, God will avenge the injustices that have been done.   

question 3

Is anyone currently feeling burdened by injustices done to you or to others around you? Would you like to hand these over to God and borrow his closure and trust that one day they will be avenged? Take some time to pray together. 

weekly application

Schedule 30-60 minutes this week to sit before God and do an inventory of your heart. See if any unforgiveness or bitterness comes to mind – maybe it’s from years ago. Give the people and situations to God and thank him that he will avenge and heal the hurt that it caused you. When this becomes a regular practice, we will find ourselves walking in more freedom and joy.