The key focus in this series is on GROWING.  In the area of spiritual growth, it is foundational that we understand that God is the key player.  He is the divine initiator.  If we removed God from the passages of the Bible we would have very little of the Bible left.  That is because He is the key player.  Yet, we live our own personal lives forgetting that God is the key player in our life.  May the Spirit open our eyes to recognise in a greater way how God can be the Lord of our lives.

In the Bible, discipleship is more endangered by lack of faith and hardness of heart than by external dangers.  More than Bible Study, prayer, sharing our faith, and circumstances, God often addresses the hard heartedness of His people as the key reason why God could not move in their lives.  A hard heart is a heart that stops us from seeing and allowing God to be the key player in our life of discipleship.  Let us work with God to soften our hearts so that we can allow Him to become the key player in our discipleship.

Discuss one or more of the following questions.

1. How would you define ‘hard heartedness’and what does it look like in your life?
2. In contrast, how would you define a ‘soft heart?’ Share an example of how you reacted to God with a soft heart.
3. Sometimes our hearts are hardened due to circumstances in our lives and we project that upon God. Share with the Life Group of a time where this was the case with you. How did you overcome it? Sharing your experience might help someone else in the group.
4. In what area do you struggle to allow God be the key player? Spend some time handing (releasing) this area over to Jesus.  How can the Life Group help you move forward in this area?
5. Pastor Chee reminded us that we are responsible to look after our own heart.  In order to look after our heart we need to be humble, responsive, believing, and trusting of God.  In what practical ways can you guard your heart against hardness and keep it soft for the things of God?
6. Name one area where you could trust and believe God more.  How can you guard your heart against the sin of unbelief and what steps can you take to overcome this unbelief?
7. A missionary couple lost both their young children due to illness on the mission field.  They died of an illness that was easily treatable at home.  They struggled for many years asking God how this could happen when they were faithfully serving Him.  They finally came to freedom, peace and rest when they stopped asking why and accepted God as God.  They were able to sit in the mystery of God and trust Him with things that were beyond their understanding.  In what ways are you still questioning God over things in the past or present?  Spend some time in quietness asking Him to help you hand over those things to Him. Trusting Him even though you do not understand.

1. Is there a truth that God wants you to obey?
2. What will you do to obey this? I will…