Sermon notes:
- Balance your life’s activities. (verses 5-6)
God will not ask you to do something that is impossible for you to do.
You will always have time to do everything God wants you to do.
- Refocus your life’s expectations. (verse 14)
- Develop coping skills that can help you deal with life’s demands. (Philippians 4:6-8)
No.1 skill is learning the art of prayer and meditation. (verses 6-7)
No.2 skill is positive thinking. (verse 8)
Follow-up Questions from Sunday:
Getting to Know You:
Have you ever experienced some form of anxiety? How was that like?
Quick Review:
Looking back from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or that caught your attention, challenged, or confused you?
Digging Deeper:
- Why do you think people post their experiences in Facebook and Instagram? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
- Last Sunday’s message talked about a 16 year old girl who committed suicide because she took a poll and asked her Instagram followers if she should kill herself, and 69% of them said yes. What would you have done if you were one of her Instagram followers? What do you think could have made the girl choose life instead of death?
- Read 1Kings 19:1-18. Why do you think even great heroes in the bible also get depressed? What factors can cause them to fall into depression? How did God respond to Elijah’s depression?
- Read Psalm 34:10 and Isaiah 40:28-31. What is God’s promise to those who trust in Him?
- Read Philippians 4:6-8. How have you applied this verse in your life? How has it given you peace?
- When you feel negative emotions and think negative thoughts, how can you apply v.8 to counteract those negatives in your life?
- Underneath feelings of anxiety and depression, are things in our lives that bother us but are left unresolved. What are the things in your life that bother you? (feelings of regret, shame, unforgiveness, etc.)
Taking it Home:
What is one thing you can apply to your life from this message and how can this group remember you in prayer this week? Spend some time thanking God for the liberties we now enjoy because of the sacrifices of our men in uniform. Pray for those that served in the military, that God would continue to give them courage, strength, and provide for their needs.