Emotions

Snack and Chat (25 Min Total)

Small Group Intro(2 Min)

This time is all about practicing our apprenticeship to Jesus in community. In order for that to happen, you need to see this time and space as holy. Holy, in this case, means time set apart for spiritual purposes.

1. No teasing

2. Actively Listen to One Another

3. Keep Holy things holy

Icebreakers (15 Min)

Would you rather be 11 feet tall or nine inches tall?

What is the last song you sang when you were by yourself?

What “old person” things do you do?

What would your perfect day look like?

Clean Up (8 Min)

Program (25 Min Total)

Nice to Meet Ya (3 Min)

Dead Cat (5 Min)

Worship (15 Min)

Story Time(2Min)

Scripture

Small Group Time (40 Min Total)

Begin with prayer (2 minutes)

Have somebody lead a prayer asking the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time together.

Debrief (5 minutes)

Get in groups of two or three and spend a few minutes catching up a bit and discussing the following question.

Thinking back on the past week, were you able to use any of the Community Temperature Reading components in your ordinary life?

Of the five components from last week (appreciations, puzzles, complaints with possible solutions, new information, and hopes and wishes), which would you like to continue working on?

Open the Bible together (5 minutes)

Read Psalm 13

Psalm 13 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

What do you think David, the write of this Psalm was feeling?

Why are our emotions important?

Practice (20 Min)

Some of us feel that spending time looking at our emotions might be selfish or not important. Yet, as we read in Emotionally Healthy Relationships, this “inward look is not to encourage a self-absorbed introspection to feed narcissism.” Rather, “the ultimate purpose is to allow the gospel to transform all of you… The end result will be that you and I will be better lovers of God and other people.”

One helpful metaphor for this journey beneath the surface is the iceberg. Just as about 90% of the iceberg is under the waterline, so only about 10% of our emotions exist on the obvious surface. And when we are unaware or unconscious of the 90% that isn’t readily visible, we run the risk of ship-wrecking our relationships on obstacles in our minds or hearts that we didn't even realize were there. As we actively work to take our emotions seriously, we find three core truths along the way that guide us on our journey: 1) unprocessed emotions don’t die, 2) healthy community requires that people know themselves, and 3) feelings help us discern God’s voice.

In light of all this, our goal for this week’s Practice is to explore our emotions together. By taking time to look beneath the surface in Community, we are opening ourselves up to becoming more loving towards others, in tune with God’s voice, and at peace in our inner being.

Step 1.

We are going to slow down and just spend a moment in silence here. Take some deep breaths, close your eyes, let silence fill the room and reflect of the kinds of emotions you are feeling in your life right now. Pray and ask God to help you identify some of those emotions through the Holy Spirit. There is no rush or pressure here.

Step 2.

a.After a couple minutes have passed ask the students to share the answer to this question:

What are you glad about? (e.g. a relationship, opportunity, state of life, etc.)

b. Now break the group up into 2 or 3 groups and have each group discuss the answer to this question:

What are you sad about? (e.g. a small or big loss, disappointment, failure, etc.)

c. Now break into partners or triads and have them discuss the answer to this question:

What are you angry about? (past or present)

d. Now you can have each individual student just write down their answer to this question or have each partner or triad group discuss the answer to this question:

What are you anxious about? (e.g. money, future, family, health, career, etc.)

Discuss as a Group (5 Min)

What was that activity like for you? What new insights did you have, if any?

Growing up, how did your family express anger, sadness, or fear?

How might these emotions (anger, sadness, fear) be affecting your relationships? Or how might they affect your relationships if left unaddressed?