Focused: Week 5

This week here at Society we finished our series called Focused. Where we explored how we can create an inner life that is developing into greater health through faith and learned about some spiritual practices that will help us to stay connected with God throughout our everyday lives.

 

Community Group Questions:

Getting to know you:

Where is your favorite place to go to eat in Sacramento?

Getting Started:

1. Read Matthew 13:10-17.
2. What is the surrounding context of this passage?
3. Why does Jesus say he teaches in parables (stories with specific meaning)?
4. What do you think it means to “have eyes to see” and “ears to hear”?

Application Questions:

1. What area of your life do you lack vision for right now? (Relationships, Extended Family, Marriage, Friends, Work, Church, Finances, Parenting, Community Engagement, physical/emotional/mental health)
2. Review the 5 steps of getting focused, read the scripture and discuss each step.
   1 – Get Vision – Proverbs 29:18
   2 – Check Motives – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
   3 – Define Steps – Proverbs 16:9
   4 – Embrace Limits – Proverbs 15:17
   5 – Continue with Perseverance – Galatians 6:9
3. What step(s) are you best at?
4. What step(s) do you tend to get tripped up on most often?
5. How do you see God at work in your life in this area?
6. How might your faith grow in this area? What are some steps you might be able to take to grow?

Application Ideas:

• Vision Struggle – Spend time in prayer and fasting seeking a vision for renewal
• Motives Struggle – Make a list of values that are motivating your decision. Are those values ones you want to bring definition to your current and future life?
• Steps Struggle – Look into SMART goals process. (Google SMART Goals)
• Embrace Limits Struggle – Look into the idea of Boundaries (Google Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud for resources) and how establishing boundaries could help keep you focused.
• Perseverance Struggle – Spend time meditating on Galatians 6:9, commit it to memory. Spend time with encouraging people.

Share prayer requests and pray together as a group.