Breaking Ground
What was your first job? How did you get it? What did you enjoy & dislike about it?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our new series In Excess by exploring the topic of excessive do-it-all-ness through a scene from King David’s life.
Do you struggle with overcommitment & trying to do too much? If so, what impact does it have on you & your relationships?
What internal motivations & desires drives us to overestimate our capacities & try to do more than is healthy?
Next, read 2 Samuel 7. In this story, we find David, at the height of his success, seeking to build God a permanent Temple, only for God to tell him no.
Why do you think David wants to build God a Temple? How might his recent successes play into this desire & decision?
Why does God tell David no? How would this have made you feel if you were in David’s shoes?
Ultimately, God challenges us to recognize that no single person is called to do everything. Instead, everyone should accept both their gifts & limitations. This should lead us into a posture of humility & faith as each of us does our own small part while trusting each other & God with the rest.
Can you recall a time when you really wanted to do something but weren’t able to? How did you respond in the moment? Has your perception of that moment changed in hindsight?
How do humility, faith, & trust help us accept the moments in our lives when God tells us no? How does this allow us to continue actively doing things but with a healthier posture towards what & how we do them?
Where in your life currently do you need to surrender a task(s), busyness, commitment(s), or posture of do-it-all-ness in order to adopt a healthier relationship with doing? How might humility, faith, & trust help you to do this?
Coming Out of the Hole
Take time to reflect on the Sunday sermon & how this week’s teaching might speak into your daily life.
- What comes to your mind when you hear the term do-it-all? Do you associate that with yourself or others?
- Reflect on an area of your life (home, work, family, etc) where you struggle to release responsibilities or accept help. Why do you struggle to do so? What internal narratives are at play?
- How might David’s story & this Lenten season challenge you to surrender & trust more in the area that you identified? What’s one, small thing that you could let go of for the next few weeks as the first step in doing so?
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, March 3rd: Join us next Sunday for week 3 of our series In Excess, where we’ll be exploring several key moments from the life of King David!
* Please see mye3.org for details.