Discussion Questions  |  3 May 2020

SERMON SUMMARY

As we go through life, each of us will experience seasons of ups and downs – from times of hardship, seasons of finding ourselves hidden in the background, and other times where we soar to the heights of celebration and everything going our way. Whatever season we find ourselves in we want to ask the question – what does it look like to really thrive and not just survive in the eyes of God?

Thriving during hardship is one of the most difficult things to do. Yet we see in King David’s life an example of what it looks like. David wrote many of the Psalms of Lament that give us insights into the way we can thrive in the midst of hard times. In particular, Psalm 69 begins at Lament but ends with praise and thanksgiving. It has many lessons to help us move forward and give us a new lease on life.

SERMON DISCUSSION

Read Psalm 69

Discuss one or more of the following questions:

1. Psalm 69:1-4. Share a time in your life when you felt overwhelmed with the hardships of life. How did you eventually move forward?

2. As you reflect upon how David handled hard times as outlined in Psalm 69 what lessons can you learn and apply to your own life?

3. Psalm 69:5-12. What situation in your life now is taking a greater control than it should? What can you do to take responsibility of this situation rather than allowing it to control you?

4. Psalm 69:13-18. One of the things that people forget about prayer is that it is surrender. It is kneeling before the throne of God and surrendering self, situation in life and allowing God to speak. Prayer is our own personal Garden of Gethsemane. How can you make surrender a regular part of your prayer life? Are there things right now that you need to surrender to God?

5. Psalm 69:19-28. Some people openly express their anger whilst others keep their anger to themselves. Which do you do most often? What are the benefits and dangers of each? Suggest some healthier ways to express anger.

6. Psalm 69:29-36. Have you ever tried praising and thanking God in spite of difficult circumstances? What was the impact on you? Spend some time in praise and thanksgiving to God and endeavour to make it part of your daily habit.

If you find that you require further help and need a Christian counsellor here is a link to the Christian Counsellors Association of Australia (CCAA): https://ccaa.net.au/

Click on the <Find a Counsellor> button at the bottom of the page. Input your requirements from the dropdown menu on the left and the contacts of a number of counsellors will appear related to your situation. During this season the majority are able to counsel online. This is a good resource for all Life Groups to keep handy.