Slowing Down in a Hurry Up World - 2017-09-03

 Antidotes for the Out of Control Life - Small Group Discussion and Homework ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 of 4 Slowing Down in a Hurry Up World ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Small Group Discussion Work ​ ​ ​ ​ In Sunday's sermon the minister ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Welcome suggested you thin out some of those ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ things that rob you of life - have you What is the most difficult, time ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ worked out what you are doing that is consuming, exhausting work you have ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ robbing you of life at the moment? ever done? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ What is there that would give you life that ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Worship you need to commit to including in your ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Think back over the past two weeks and life? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tell the group about something you really ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ enjoyed. A moment, a taste, a ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ realisation, a laugh, a book etc. Once ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ Homework you've shared your stories take a ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ moment to give thanks to God for them. If you don't do it already, find 15 minutes ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ in each day to make yourself present to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ God; find a place to sit where you won't Word ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ be disturbed, turn off or leave behind ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Read John 10:1-11 your electronic distractions and pay ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ attention to God. Share your experience From John 10:1-11, we learn that Jesus ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ with the group next week. promised that we “…may have life, and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ have it to the full.” Interpreters of Go for a walk and give God permission ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ scripture see this as an offer for the now, to bring up to you the things you do to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ not just some future time. What might look important, to appear right or to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ prevent us from experiencing this better 1 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ make a good appearance? life right now? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Further Helps for Individual Does humanity tend to see “the glass” as ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Pruning half empty or half full? How can we go ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ about living our life more fully in “the List everything you do for one month ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ now”? then then rank each thing you did: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 - Essential ​ ​ ​ ​ The sheep in Christ’s metaphor trusted 2 - Important but not essential ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ their shepherd. What prevents us from 3 - Helpful but not necessary ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ trusting that Christ will shepherd us 4 - Other ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ through this life and its difficulties? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 Johnson, Jan. Abundant Simplicity: Discovering the Unhurried ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ R​ h​​ ythms of Grace ​ ​ ​ ​ Antidotes for the Out of Control Life - Small Group Discussion and Homework ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 of 4 Slowing Down in a Hurry Up World ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ruthlessly eliminate all of the last two The primary answer, of course, is ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ categories and some of the first two. “nothing.” - At its heart, solitude is ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ primarily about not doing something. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ At the top of your list write answers to: Just as fasting means to refrain from ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 - What do I want? eating, so solitude means to refrain from ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2 - What am I longing for? society. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 - How is God inviting me to say yes in ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ this season of life? When we go into solitude, we withdraw ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ from conversation, from the presence of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ If you’re worried about offloading a others, from noise, from the constant ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ certain time commitment, trust that God barrage of stimulation.3 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ will prompt another person to take it up. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Solitude before bedtime can be used to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - What happens inside you when you Review the Day with God: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ consider eliminating or abbreviating 1. Be still for a moment and quiet your ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ certain things? mind. ​ ​ - Who are you trying to please or win 2. Acknowledge that Jesus is present. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ over? Invite him to teach you. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - What are you trying to avoid? 3. Go back in your mind to when you ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - Consider what is missing. first woke up. Watch that scene, as if on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - Is there space to breathe? video. This may lead you to pray for ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - Is there substantive community life patience, greater love, courage, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ where you can say what you really forgiveness, or other virtues. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ need to say? 4. Continue through the day, going ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - Are there practices on your list that from scene to scene. As you reflect on ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ help God satisfy the deep longings of them, some scenes may fill you with ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ your heart? gratitude, others with regret. Speak ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - If not, do you need different practices? directly to the Lord about this. You may ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ - Who might help you discern these?2 also be led to pray for some of the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ people you were interacting with during ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ the day. Solitude ​ ​ 5. End with a prayer of thanksgiving Solitude is the remedy for the busyness ​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ for God’s mercy and love. Ask him to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ... But what exactly is solitude? What do 4 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ refresh you as you sleep. we do when we practice solitude? ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 3 Ortberg, John. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2 Disciplines for Ordinary People (p. 86). Johnson, Jan. Abundant Simplicity: Discovering the Unhurried ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rhythms of Grace (pp. 111-112) 4 Ortberg, John. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Di​ s​​ ciplines for Ordinary People (p. 87). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​