Under the Sun: What to Do When You're in a Hard Season

Small Group Discussion Guide | Ecclesiastes 3

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Series: Under the Sun | Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 Estimated Total Time: 60–90 minutes

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A NOTE TO YOUR FACILITATOR

This guide is designed for you — whether this is your first time leading a group or your fiftieth. You don't need to have all the answers. Your job is simply to create a safe, open space where people can engage honestly with God's Word and with each other. The questions are designed to do the heavy lifting. Trust the process, trust your group, and trust the Holy Spirit.

A few quick tips before you begin:

• It's okay if you don't get through every question. Depth is better than speed.
• If the group gets quiet, that's okay — sit with it for a moment before moving on.
• If someone shares something painful, resist the urge to immediately fix it. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is, "Thank you for sharing that."
• Feel free to adapt any question to fit the personality and needs of your group.

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OVERVIEW

(For the Facilitator — Read before your group meets)

This week's message was drawn from Ecclesiastes 3, the famous poem about seasons written by Solomon — the richest, wisest, and most accomplished man of his time. Despite having everything the world could offer, Solomon concluded that life "under the sun" — lived without an eternal perspective — ultimately feels empty and confusing. The sermon offered five practical, biblical responses for followers of Jesus who find themselves in a hard or unexpected season of life: accept the season, run toward Christ, learn what God is teaching you, give of yourself to others, and look up with an eternal perspective. The message was grounded in the hope that Jesus — who conquered death itself — gives us a crown of righteousness that no season of this life can take away.

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ICEBREAKER

(5–10 minutes)

Begin here to help everyone ease into the conversation. There are no wrong answers — this is just about getting people talking and comfortable.

Question:

Think back over your life — what's one "season" you've been through (a chapter of life, a transition, a difficult stretch) that you didn't expect but that ended up shaping you in a meaningful way? It doesn't have to be a hard season — it could be a surprising or unusual one.

[Leader Tip]: Keep this light and fun to start. You go first if the group is quiet — your willingness to share sets the tone. Remind people they can share as much or as little as they'd like.

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SCRIPTURE READING

(5 minutes)

Have someone in the group read the passage aloud. You may want to ask two or three people to each read a section, or read it together responsively.

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Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 (CSB)

"There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his struggles? I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him. Whatever is has already been, and whatever will be already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted."

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A Brief Word of Context: Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes near the end of his life. He had experienced more wealth, pleasure, wisdom, and power than any person alive at the time — and yet he found himself wrestling with deep questions about meaning and purpose. His honest wrestling isn't a sign of weak faith; it's a sign of a man who had lived long enough to know that life is complicated, and that the answers can't be found "under the sun" — in this world alone. They have to come from above.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

(30–45 minutes)

Work through as many of these questions as time allows. Questions are organized by theme and move from observation toward personal application. You don't need to ask every question — choose the ones that feel most relevant to your group.

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SECTION 1: THE REALITY OF SEASONS

(Observation & Interpretation — 10 minutes)

1. After hearing Ecclesiastes 3 read aloud, what phrase or pairing of opposites stood out to you most — and why?

For example: "a time to weep and a time to laugh" or "a time to tear down and a time to build." What resonated with where you are right now in life?

[Leader Tip]: This is a gentle entry point. Encourage people to be honest — this isn't a trick question. There's no wrong answer. If someone identifies with a painful pairing, affirm their honesty and let it open the door for deeper sharing later.

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2. The sermon described Solomon as a man who "had it all" — wealth, wisdom, power, and pleasure — and yet he still wrestled with questions of meaning and purpose. What does that tell us about what the things of this world can and cannot give us?

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3. Solomon writes that God "has put eternity in their hearts" (v. 11), but also that "no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end." In your own words, what do you think Solomon means by that? What is the tension he's describing?

[Leader Tip]: This is a slightly deeper theological question. If the group gets stuck, try this follow-up: "Have you ever had a feeling that there must be more to life than what you can see? Where do you think that feeling comes from?" The point is that God has wired us for eternity — which is why life "under the sun" alone always feels incomplete.

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SECTION 2: FIVE RESPONSES TO A HARD SEASON

(Application & Personal Reflection — 20–25 minutes)

The sermon offered five practical responses when we find ourselves in a difficult or confusing season. Let's work through them together.

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4. The first response was: Accept the season you are in. The preacher said that acceptance doesn't mean you enjoy the pain — it means you stop running from the reality that God is with you in it. How hard is it for you to "accept" a difficult season rather than resist it or try to escape it? What makes acceptance so difficult?

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5. The second response was: Run toward Christ — through prayer, through Scripture, and through community with other believers. The preacher made a striking statement: "The less you feel like gathering with your church, the more important it is for you to gather with your church."

Why do you think isolation is one of the enemy's most effective tools during painful seasons? Can you think of a time when community — or the lack of it — made a real difference in how you walked through a hard time?

[Leader Tip]: This question often surfaces powerful personal stories. Give it room to breathe. If someone shares a story of isolation or loneliness, resist the urge to move on quickly. Let the group respond with empathy. This is also a natural moment to remind the group why being in a small group matters.

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6. The third response was: Learn what God is teaching you. The preacher acknowledged this one can feel tone-deaf when you're in real pain — you want relief, not a lesson. But he also said that God often uses our seasons of pain to shape us into the image of Christ, and then turns us around to help others going through the same thing.

Have you ever looked back on a hard season and seen what God was doing in it — even though you couldn't see it at the time? What did you learn about God, or about yourself, through that experience?

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7. The fourth response was: Give of yourself to others — even when you're hurting. The preacher used a memorable illustration: if you hit your thumb with a hammer, that thumb becomes the only thing in the world that matters. Pain naturally turns us inward.

How have you seen self-focus (even understandable, pain-driven self-focus) affect your relationships or your faith? And how have you seen serving or investing in others actually help you during a difficult time?

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8. The fifth response was: Look up — to remember the eternal perspective that changes everything. The preacher ended with a powerful story about visiting a dying 93-year-old church member named Jeff, who — even in his final hours — recited from memory these words from 2 Timothy 4:7-8:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing."

What does it mean to you that a crown of righteousness is "reserved" for those who are in Christ? How does that eternal promise change the way you look at the season you're currently in?

[Leader Tip]: This question often moves people deeply. Don't rush past it. If someone is in genuine grief or pain, this is a moment where the group can offer real comfort. You might gently ask: "Is there anyone here who needs to hear that promise today — that what you're going through is not the end of the story?"

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SECTION 3: THE BIGGER WHY

(Community & Gospel — 5 minutes)

9. The pastor closed the service by pointing out that while we may not always know the why of our circumstances, we can always know the who — the God who walks with us through every season. He referenced Psalm 23, noting that the Lord is present in the green pastures and in the valley of the shadow of death.

How does knowing who is with you in a hard season help even when you don't know why you're in it? What difference does the presence of Jesus make in the middle of uncertainty?

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PERSONAL APPLICATION

(10–15 minutes)

These questions are more personal and reflective. Invite people to answer honestly — remind them that vulnerability is safe here. You may want to give a moment of quiet reflection before opening these up for sharing.

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1. Which of the five responses — accept the season, run toward Christ, learn from it, give of yourself, look up — feels most difficult for you personally right now? What's one small step you could take this week toward that response?

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2. Solomon writes that God "has made everything appropriate in its time." Is there a situation in your life right now where you're struggling to trust that God's timing is right? What would it look like to surrender that to him this week?

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3. The preacher said, "The only way to truly find life is not to gather it unto ourselves and hold on to it — give it away." Is there someone in your life right now — a neighbor, a coworker, a family member — who needs you to invest in them, even if you're in a hard season yourself? What's one way you could reach out to them this week?

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4. Jeff Weebi, the 93-year-old saint who passed away, could recite Scripture from memory even in his final hours. His faith was deeply rooted in the Word of God. What role does Scripture play in your own life during hard seasons — and is there a verse or passage you return to for strength? Would you be willing to share it with the group?

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THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

(Choose one — or invite your group to choose together)

• 📖 Read Ecclesiastes 3 again on your own this week, slowly. Write down one observation, one question, and one thing you want to trust God with.
• 🙏 Practice "running toward Christ" by setting aside 10 minutes each day this week to pray specifically about the season you're in — and to listen.
• 📞 Invest in one person who may be going through a hard season. Send a text, make a call, or show up. Don't wait until you feel ready.
• 📦 Serve your community by bringing non-perishable food items for the Pack-a-Snack program for at-risk kids in local schools. Drop them in the bins at church on Sundays or Wednesdays throughout the month.
• 🤝 Get connected in a small group if you're not already in one — because seasons of life are better walked through with people who know your name.

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PRAYER FOCUS

(5–10 minutes)

Close your time together in prayer. Here are some suggested prayer topics drawn from the message. You can pray as a group, break into pairs, or have one person close in prayer on behalf of everyone.

Suggested Prayer Topics:

• 🙏 For those in a hard season right now — that they would feel the presence of Christ and find the courage to accept, run toward him, and hold on.
• 🙏 For our church community — that we would be the kind of people who show up for one another, especially in the valleys.
• 🙏 For those who are struggling to trust God's timing — that they would find peace in the truth that he is making everything "appropriate in its time."
• 🙏 For those who don't yet know Jesus — that they would encounter the one who is the answer to the deepest "why" of human existence.
• 🙏 For gratitude — for the crown of righteousness that is reserved for all who love the appearing of Christ.

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Closing Prayer Prompt for Facilitator:

"Father, thank you that you are not a God who stands far off while we suffer. You are the God who walks into the valley with us. Help us this week to accept the season we are in, to run toward you rather than away, and to keep our eyes lifted toward the crown of righteousness you have promised. In Jesus' name, amen."

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OPTIONAL DEEP DIVE

(For groups wanting to go further — 15–20 additional minutes)

These questions are for groups with more time or those who want to explore the biblical themes more deeply.

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Deep Dive 1: The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes

Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 together. Solomon observes injustice in the world and wrestles with the fact that humans and animals share the same fate — death and a return to dust. He ends with a haunting question: "Who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies?"

How does the resurrection of Jesus Christ answer Solomon's question? What does the empty tomb change about how we face death — and how we face the seasons of life that lead up to it? Read 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 together and discuss.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 (CSB): "When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

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Deep Dive 2: The Mind of Christ in the Hard Seasons

The preacher referenced Philippians 2:5 and Colossians 3:3 as anchors during times of stress and fear.

Read both passages together:

Philippians 2:5 (CSB): "Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus."

Colossians 3:3 (CSB): "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

What does it mean practically that your "life is hidden with Christ in God"? How does meditating on that truth change the way you approach anxiety, fear, or a season of confusion? What would it look like to "adopt the attitude of Christ Jesus" in the specific hard season you're walking through right now?

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Deep Dive 3: The God of Every Season

The sermon referenced the worship song that called on "the God of Jacob, the God of Moses, the God of David, the God of Mary" — reminding us that throughout history, God has been faithful to individuals in their specific, personal seasons of struggle.

Choose one of the following figures and read their story briefly together. Then discuss: How does their story encourage you in the season you're in?

• Abraham — Genesis 22:1-14 (The God who provides — Jehovah Jireh)
• Moses — Exodus 14:10-16 (The God who makes a way when there is no way)
• David — Psalm 23 (The God who is present in the valley)
• Mary — Luke 1:26-38 (The God whose favor rests on the unlikely)

What do these stories have in common? What do they tell us about the character of the God we serve — and how he shows up in the seasons of his people's lives?

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ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR FURTHER STUDY

For individuals or groups who want to continue exploring this week's themes:

Theme	Passage
God's sovereignty over seasons	Romans 8:28-30
Running to Christ in prayer	Philippians 4:6-7
Learning through suffering	James 1:2-5
Serving others in your pain	Galatians 6:2, 9-10
The eternal perspective	2 Corinthians 4:16-18
The crown of righteousness	2 Timothy 4:6-8
God's presence in the valley	Psalm 23
The resurrection as our hope	1 Corinthians 15:54-57

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QUICK-REFERENCE SUMMARY FOR FACILITATORS

Section	Time
Icebreaker	5–10 min
Scripture Reading	5 min
Discussion Questions	30–45 min
Personal Application	10–15 min
Prayer Focus	5–10 min
Total	55–85 min
Optional Deep Dive (if time allows)	+15–20 min

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"He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts." — Ecclesiastes 3:11

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This guide was prepared for small group use at Calvary Church as part of the sermon series Under the Sun through the book of Ecclesiastes. For questions about small groups or to find a group near you, visit calvary.us/groups.