Week 2: Worry
Review this week's message.
Key Scripture
4 For this reason, brothers and sisters, my joy and crown whom I dearly love, I cannot wait to see you again. Continue to stand firm in the Lord, and follow my instructions in this letter, beloved. 2 Euodia and Syntyche, I urge you to put aside your differences, agree, and work together in the Lord. 3 Yes, Syzygus, loyal friend, I enlist you to please help these women. They, along with brother Clement and many others, have worked by my side to spread the good news of the gospel. They have their names recorded in the book of life.
4 Most of all, friends, always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! 5 Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. 6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. 7 And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. 9 Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you.
Philippians 4:1-9 (The Voice)
Start thinking. Ask a question to get your group thinking.
Start sharing. Choose a question to create openness.
Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.
Gracious God, we lift our worries to you. We give our need for control & lack of understanding over to you. Help us to remember that even though we don't know what lies ahead, you are a good & faithful God. Do not let our fears grow into overwhelming worry; rather, help us to acknowledge the fear and walk forward in your presence. Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
Key Scripture
4 For this reason, brothers and sisters, my joy and crown whom I dearly love, I cannot wait to see you again. Continue to stand firm in the Lord, and follow my instructions in this letter, beloved. 2 Euodia and Syntyche, I urge you to put aside your differences, agree, and work together in the Lord. 3 Yes, Syzygus, loyal friend, I enlist you to please help these women. They, along with brother Clement and many others, have worked by my side to spread the good news of the gospel. They have their names recorded in the book of life.
4 Most of all, friends, always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! 5 Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. 6 Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. 7 And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. 9 Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you.
Philippians 4:1-9 (The Voice)
Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.
- What is the most ridiculous thing you have wasted time worrying about?
- Has worrying about something ever helped (i.e. turned around because you thought you left the stove on, and you actually did)?
- What is one thing that you worried about this week?
- Why do you think worry comes so easily to us? What's the worst that could happen?
- Do you find that you spend time worrying most about big things or small things?
- How does worry rob you of your thankfulness?
- How can you be thoughtful about the ins & outs of your day without allowing that thoughtfulness to turn into worry?
- Does the idea of a present God help with your worries? Often times, this idea doesn't enter into our minds when worrying. How can we remind ourselves of His presence & control?
Gracious God, we lift our worries to you. We give our need for control & lack of understanding over to you. Help us to remember that even though we don't know what lies ahead, you are a good & faithful God. Do not let our fears grow into overwhelming worry; rather, help us to acknowledge the fear and walk forward in your presence. Amen.
Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.
- Verse 6 in this week's scripture says, "Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray." God wants to hear about everything, and talking a problem out is often the quickest way to minimize worry & anxiety. Set aside time to "talk" to God-talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly. We only have to read the Psalms to know what a healthy/honest relationship with God looks like-on one page we find the Psalmist praising God above all else, on the next page we find the author accusing God of being asleep. Life is hard and God knows this better than anyone. Keeping our troubles to ourselves & out of our prayers not only hurts us in the long run, but it also feeds the lie that God cannot (or does not want) to deal with our worries. He wants it all...so let him have it this week (and then give thanks to him for listening)!