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  Communicating grace Squeezing Good out of Bad study questions Thanks to fellow "lemon head" Jeanette Levellie for providing these additional study questions for Squeezing Good Out of Bad. (Personal reflection questions are included at the end of each chapter of the book.) You may reproduce these questions in connection with study of the book.
Chapter 10: Identify the problem
1. Do you agree with M. Scott Peck's statement about accepting that life is difficult?
2. Relate a situation that had the opposite effect of its appearance, either: 3. What useful methods have you discovered for putting problems in perspective? 4. What Scriptures have proven helpful in gaining perspective? 5. Discuss the context of Romans 8:28. If possible, look up this passage in several different translations. 6. Read Colossians 1:9-12. How does this passage apply to "sour" situations? 7. All of us need encouragement to see progress in our walk with the Lord. Share with the person on your left some "fruit" you have witnessed in their life since you've known them (limit two minutes, please).
Chapter 9: Determine if it's your problem 1. What method does Fred Smith suggest for distinguishing between problems and facts of life? 2. Share a time when you successfully used this method. 3. How does taking on a fact of life as "your problem" rob you of your peace and joy? 4. Does the Lord expect you to solve your own problems? Support your answer with a Scripture. 5. Read I Peter 5:6-7. Share some ways you have found helpful in "casting your cares on the Lord."
Chapter 8: Profit from the problem 1. List some biblical examples of people who benefited from their problems. 2. Have you had some problems in your life that you've been able to profit from? 3. Where do you go in God's Word for encouragement during setbacks? 4. Look up the word "profit" in a dictionary and if possible, a concordance. 5. Read James 1:1-5. What profit can you gain here?
Chapter 7: Laugh at the problem 1. Share a past problem that seemed like a tragedy at the time, but now you laugh at it. 2. How does "being secure in your beliefs help you see the comical side of the universe?" 3. Do you agree that "how we look at things determines our attitudes and actions?" If a person is naturally serious, can they learn to look at situations in a lighter way? 4. How can humor help us overcome despair? 5. What does God think of laughter? List one or two Scriptures that show us how He feels about it. 6. Everyone has a different sense of humor. What kinds of things do you find comical?
Chapter 6: Share your problem 1. What is the difference between "transparency in order to obtain help" and "chronic complaining?" 2. Why is it true that "admitting our life-puckering problems" is often the first step to healing? 3. How has Proverbs 11:14 proven true in your life? 4. Share about a situation where you would not have benefited from the support of friends if you had answered "fine," when you really weren't fine. 5. Why is it comforting to know others who share your same "lemons?" 6. Name some people in God's Word who had "sour" circumstances. 7. Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. How have you experienced this truth, either as a giver or a receiver of comfort? 8. Was Jesus ever depressed? What did He do about it?
Chapter 5: Grow from the problem 1. "Lemons teach us to be grateful." What are some things that the lemons in your life have taught you to appreciate? 2. We cannot usually see how Romans 8:28 is being played out in our current problem. Can you look back and see how it has proven true in the past? 3. Does this give you hope for the present and the future? 4. Do you agree that spending a lot of time asking "why?" is fruitless? 5. What is a better use of your time and energy? 6. Take a minute right now and ask God to use your pain for His and your gain. 7. Pray for someone in this class, that God will bring good from their pain.
Chapter 4: Forgive the problem-maker 1. Do you agree that Christians have a harder time dealing with lemons than those in the world? Why or why not? 2. Have you discovered some ways to break free of the emotional pain associated with someone abusing or betraying you? If so, please share those ways (you do not need to share the abuse or betrayal, only how you were set free from the pain of it). 3. Does forgiveness have anything to do with our feelings? 4. Name a few people in the Bible whom you feel had every right to hold a grudge, yet chose to forgive. 5. Can a person freely forgive without the grace of God working in their life? 6. Which Scripture from this chapter spoke to you the most?
Chapter 3: Take your problem to a higher level 1. Why is it that most people only turn to God in a crisis, when they have exhausted their own resources? 2. Read Proverbs 3:5-6. What one word stands out as an encouragement to go to God for every problem, not just crises? (Hint: starts with an "A") 3. What is our purpose in life? 4. What are the two conditions to Romans 8:28? 5. Read John 15:1-5. Look up the word "abide" in a dictionary. What does this word mean in relation to our fruitfulness as believers? 6. How much can we accomplish apart from Jesus?
Chapter 2: Live a fruitful life 1. What types of attitudes and actions encourage fruit to grow in our lives? 2. If joy is not based on happiness, what is it based on? 3. According to John 14:27, do you and I have a choice to be troubled or not? 4. In what area(s) do you most need to develop your patience fruit? 5. What godly characteristics come to mind when you envision a fellow saint who exhibits the fruit of goodness? 6. In the walk of a believer, who or what is our "target?"
Chapter 1: Live a lemon-fresh life
1. Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-11. 2. In the story of Kathy, how did she triumph through her great trials? 3. Which shows more humility, to wash someone else's feet, or to allow them to wash yours? 4. Why does "teaching secrets from failure" get a much better response? 5. What is the result of allowing patience to work fully in you, according to James chapter 1? 6. Do you want this result more than you want to be comfortable in your flesh? 7. Pray for someone you know who is in a worse trial than you.
Introduction 1. From where does our identity come? 2. According to Hebrews 5:8, how did Jesus learn obedience? 3. What were some of the things Jesus suffered? 4. Have you had to suffer any of those same things? 5. Read Psalm 56. What New Testament Scripture reflects vs. 9-11? (hint: It's in the same chapter as the "all things work together for good" verse) 6. What chapter in this book was your favorite, and why? 7. What principle(s) have you taken to heart, that you can pass along to others who are "drowning in lemon juice?"
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