Welcome to week four of our new series, Correcting Spiritual Drift. This week’s conversation centers around four encounters for dealing with discouragement as we unpack the story of how God helped Elijah deal with his discouragement.
SHARE LIFE
Building healthy and life-giving relationships.
Updates
What has been new or challenging in your life since last time the group met? Spend 20–30 minutes checking in with each other.
Share Part of Your Story
Is anyone in your group planning anything fun for spring break or a staycation? Share your plans.
Prayer
How can your group pray for each other specifically in the conversation of correcting spiritual drift?
PURSUE GOD
Taking next steps toward Christ together.
Have someone read 1 Kings 19:1-18. Consider having someone else reread it in another translation. What do you notice? What is something that stands out to you or strikes you as interesting?
God Refreshes
What events led to where we find Elijah in this story? What other emotions do you think he could have been feeling? When have you experienced a situation with those emotions? What are some events in your life that brought you to that place?
When Elijah was at his lowest, God meets him with a crackling fire and hot meal. What do you think this communicates about God? What are some of the physical ways you like to get refilled or refreshed? How do you feel God has refreshed you in the past?
God Invites
Elijah is given an open invitation to tell God how he is feeling and be real with God. Have someone read out loud again what Elijah says to God. How do you feel about his response? Do you think people are usually willing to talk to God like this? Why or why not?
In the Bible, other people also voice disappointment with God. Why do you think it is important to realize the many different ways people have and do talk to God? Do you feel like you have the freedom to do this with God? When have you prayed your discouragement to God or when have you wanted to but didn’t?
God Whispers
After Elijah’s dramatic mountaintop experience with the prophets of Baal, we find Elijah in a cave. What are some of the things Elijah experiences?
God meets Elijah in a whisper. Why do you think God comes in the whisper? What can we learn about who God is in how he comes to Elijah?
What are some of the small, quiet ways that God meets people? Share about times you have been aware of God’s presence in nature or Scripture or through the love of others. What did you think of the reminder statements that Pastor Jeff Manion mentioned? Which of these did you most need to hear?
God Assigns
Not only does God give Elijah a new assignment, but he provides a new perspective as well. What does God say to give Elijah a new perspective?
God’s response should cause Elijah to think differently. What kind of reframing does Elijah have to do with how he’s been looking at his situation? How often do you think we tend to look at our lives from a different perspective?
Most of us feel we are unique in our experiences and feelings, but we are more alike than we think. How can remembering that we are in life together help us in times of disappointment?
Is there anything in your life that you may be discouraged about and are considering giving up on? How can your group encourage you to allow God to work through you and beyond you?
This week our conversations focused on four encounters as Elijah interacts with God in his dispair. Which one of these was the most powerful to your faith and life this week? What’s one step you can take to focus on that area this week?
INVEST IN OTHERS
Valuing people outside the group and outside the faith.
Discuss how you and your group can better engage the people in your life outside your small group.
Relational Investment
This March, the Invest in Others section looks at relational investments. As a group, continue to share how each of you are pouring into the lives of those around you who may not yet know Jesus. How have those relationships grown? How can you serve them with God’s love?
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