Sermon Discussion Guide
- Have you ever been faced with a challenge and you didn’t know what to do? Did your actions create the challenge or was the challenge created by situations around you?
Read James 1:2-4
- What is your approach to challenges? What do you think about James’s encouragement to see challenges as opportunities to grow?
- Looking back over some of the challenges in your life, how have you grown as a result of those challenges? As you look back, where was God present with you during these challenges?
- What are some of the challenges you are facing right now? Take a couple of minutes to ask God ‘What can I learn in this situation’. Ask God what he wants you to learn. If you feel comfortable, share with the group what you believe God may be saying to you.
Read James 1:5-8
- What are some of the ways you waver when it comes to the wisdom of God? What are the actions or thoughts, attitudes of self-sufficiency that could be getting in the way of us relying on God and his wisdom?
Read James 1:12-15
- Have you ever been going through difficult situations and thought that God was testing you? As we think about this passage from James, how does it change our perceptions to know that God is not testing us, but is present with us in our times of struggle?
Going Deeper – The Last 10%
- Take time to pray with each other for the challenges that you may be facing. As you pray, remember that every challenge is an opportunity to grow and that God wants to help in every challenge. As you go forward into this week, try out the promise of God. Ask him for wisdom as you go through the challenges of your week and share with your group next time how his presence was with you and how he’s helping you to become who he envisions.
