Special Guest Speaker: Pastor Kris Langdon
Passages: Romans 7:18-20, Luke 5:6-7, Proverbs 27:12, Luke 6:28, John 6:66-69, Romans 7:24-25
Today’s Question: What do we do with failure & the conflict inside of us?
Q1: How do we deal with failure?
Growing up, what habits were you taught to in regard to dealing with failure?
Have you seen anyone fail well? Someone who handled failure with a healthy dose of perspective and personal grace?
Q2: Wisdom for our failure
In Luke 5, we find the account of the miraculous catch of fish. Peter and crew had been fishing all night and caught nothing. They were experts, right? Then this carpenter comes up, and tells them to “try again.”
That could be super frustrating. But they listened to Jesus, they let His words change their actions.
Why does wisdom tell us to listen in these tough moments? Why is Jesus pressing them to do it one.more.time?
Q3: Let it go
Chris talked next about forgiveness. It’s hard stuff, right? It’s personal, and it can hurt. It doesn’t mean we minimize how it affects you personally. But we do move forward, in honesty, and we let go, forgiving anyway.
How have you seen people set up good, healthy boundaries after being hurt? How did they create space to let positive change happen?
How do you gauge timing with setting up or removing these boundaries?
Q4: Give us more faith
Read Luke 17:4-5 together.
What did the disciples ask for?
What is going on in this whole passage? What else could they have asked for?
Why was an increase in faith the right response?
How does an increase in faith, Christ at work in us through the Holy Spirit, pull the best out of us for God’s glory?
Q5: Forgiveness brings freedom
Chris reminded us that forgiveness can free us from carrying a burden that God doesn’t intend for us to bear. Bitterness can feel good, but it leaves us tired, struggling in other areas.
Can you tell about a time when you saw forgiveness lift a burden? In your life or in the life of a friend?
What changes came about?
How was God glorified?
Do you have any favorite passages about grace or forgiveness? Share them with each other right now.
————
Point of Prayer for our Small Group: Pray over the areas that the people within your small group serve within, let different people choose one area (not their own) to pray over.
