Surrender

Discussion Guidelines

Our team has been praying for months that God would use this series to bring us more into the freedom that is found in him. We believe that these small group discussions have potential to be both difficult and life changing, so we are asking for your group to commit to a few things during this series:

• Split up genders - We’d like each community group to divide up based on gender – men with men and women with women. We believe this will provide the potential for more openness in sharing.
• Confidentially is key - What is said here, stays here. We want to provide a high-trust, safe space to share. 
• Don’t Give Advice - During these next 3 weeks, avoid trying to “fix one another’s problems”. Let people share and thank them for sharing but this doesn’t need to turn into an advice giving session. Draw a circle around yourself and focus on everything within the circle.
• Pray for one another – The greatest encouragement and most powerful tool we have in seeing lives changed by Jesus is prayer. Feel free to pray as you begin group, as people share, and at the end of your time together. Bathe this time in prayer.

We ask that you review these guidelines together each week as a reminder before beginning discussion. We are trusting that God is going to do amazing things in the hearts/lives of his people as you step out in boldness to allow him to transform each of you more into his likeness. 

Life’s Healing Choices

CHOICE 1 – Admitting Need: Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.

CHOICE 2 – Getting Help: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover.

Group Questions

Take a few minutes together in prayer to invite the Lord to open your heart, to provide courage to share something hard if He prompts you to share, and to give each of you an awareness of the grace of Christ during this time together.

• The first healing choice is to admit your powerlessness to change your past, control other people, and to cope with your problems. Which of these do you struggle with the most?
• Describe how you try to control your image, other people, your problems, and your pain.
• How has trying to control these things affected your relationship with God and others?
• Why are we afraid to share our weaknesses or tell others our true feelings?

Use the following prompts to open space to share some of the harder things you are going through in life. If/when you feel the Spirit prompting you to share, step into it!

• What specific hurts, hang-ups, or habits have you been denying?
• What pain has God been using as a megaphone in your life to alert you to your need for help?
• Who or what have you blamed for your problems – either partially or completely?

Spend some time praying for the things that have been shared. Keep these things confidential and continue to pray for each other specifically throughout the week.