Step 11: Stay Present

Selected Scripture

Connect:

• Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.

Prayer:

Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.

Review:

We are in a series looking at the 12 steps from AA through a Biblical lens as we look at the pathway of freedom in Christ and following Him whole heartedly. A phrase we are going to hear over and over is, “If you want to change your life, take it one step at a time (in other words, foundations matter!). This week we looked at the 11th step of moving from being a victim of our thoughts to becoming a steward of our mind…

The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…

o What did you learn about God?

o What did you learn about people?

o What did you learn about yourself?

o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?

Reflection:

Personal Experience:

• Group activity:

  • Give each member a piece of paper and a pen

  • Have each member individually write their response to the following prompt: “Think about a time where, for all your best intentions, you just got it wrong. You dropped the ball, responded badly, forgot the deadline or stepped back when you should have stepped in. Whatever the situation, you got it wrong that time.

  • With that situation in mind, journal a few bullet points you were thinking about yourself and a few things you believe others were thinking about you.

  • Now turn to the person next to you and discuss where/if God, grace or hope ever entered that picture. Discuss together why we think that way.

• Reflective Discussion:

  • Discuss the phrase, “What grabs your attention sets your direction”.

  • Read the following Scriptures and discuss how our focus shape our development (Prov 4:23, Rom 12:1-2, Phil 4:6-9, Col 3:1-17)

  • It is not enough to ‘cancel’ wrong thoughts; they have to be replaced! Talk about our role and the role of the Holy Spirit in doing that (Gal 5:16-25, Rom 8:1-17)

  • Prayer is the discipline of focusing our attention on God in the context of real life. Read Matt 6:9-14. Meditate on this passage and discuss how each section anchors our life and can resolve our anxiety.

Application: 

Taking the time to be still before God forces us to rest, requires trust and exercises faith. Commit to taking the time this week to be still before the Lord, acknowledging Him in all our ways and moving in step with His Spirit.

Prayer:

Spend some time in prayer that God will give us a heart that is attentive, tuned in, to the quiet speaking Voice of His Holy Spirit.

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