Creating Space – Week 1 – Small Group Questions
Small Group Questions

Creating Space – Week 1 – Small Group Questions

By January 7, 2020No Comments

Creating Space

These questions are meant to be a choose-your-own-adventure. That is, use what you like. Skip what you don’t. And add to it in any way you see fit.

  1. Dallas Willard quote – “Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” What do you think of this idea? How do you react?
  2. Matt listed a number of ways to tell if you, perhaps, are living life in a hurry without any margin. How many of these do you identify with?
    1. Irritability
    2. Hyper-sensitivity
    3. Compulsive overworking
    4. Restlessness
    5. Emotional numbness
    6. Escapist behaviors
    7. Disconnected from your identity/calling
    8. Not able to attend to human needs
    9. Hoarding energy
    10. Neglect of spiritual practices
    11. Chronically late
  1. If you identify with some (or all of these), it’s important to first of all recognize that guilt rarely, if ever, works to create lasting change. So other than feeling guilty, how might you respond?
  2. Read Exodus 24.12

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

Think about this…the word “stay” in this passage would be better translated as “be.”  As in, “Come up to the mountain and BE here.” Why is this an important distinction?  What can we learn from this?

  1. Read Matthew 11.28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus is offering us a way of life. He was never in a hurry. Many of the stories in Gospels happen when he is being interrupted. He modeled what it was like to be fully present. So why is this so challenging for us?

  1. Matt offered this idea…that our root problem is FEAR.
    1. We’re afraid of missing out.
    2. We’re afraid of falling behind.
    3. We’re afraid of not mattering.

What about you? How do you see fear getting in the way of rest?

  1. Last thought…

Read Matthew 6.33

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“I cannot live in the kingdom of God with a hurried soul.” – John Ortberg

Jeremy Neckers

Jeremy Neckers

Jeremy Neckers is the Administrative Pastor at Commonway. Originally from southwestern New York, Jeremy moved to Muncie in the early 90s with his parents and sister. After graduating from Delta High School, he earned a degree in chemistry and biology from Ball State in 2002.  While Jeremy has been a part of Commonway since its inception, he spent a number of years as a middle school math & science teacher before joining the staff. He and his wife, Maggie, live in Muncie with their two daughters.

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