Week 3 – Let Go and Trust
Leader Guide
Are you in a place of contentment, or are you striving to get there? Are you at peace today--in the present—or would you say you are trying to get somewhere different or get away from your past? We need to let go of the past, the future, the glory, and the failures. We need to give our lives to God to be at rest and in a place and contentment.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
Leader: This section is designed to get discussions started, examine God’s truth, and apply it to our week. Life Group leaders should not assume everyone in their group is a Christ follower. Because they are taking part in a Life Group, they must have some openness to knowing more, exploring. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work and let Him lead you as well.
1. Our opening clip ends with: “Where am I?” Do you occasionally find yourself surprised at where you are right now?
Leader’s Note: Maybe you have group members recently single, recently grieving, or suddenly out of a job. You can help encourage your group with God’s eternal love and purposes for their lives. He does know and He has a plan.
2. Read Matthew 6:34. Do you tend to live thinking about regrets of the past or in fear for your future? How can memorizing and leaning on this verse help you trust God? In fact, how much do you need for today? How would choosing to be present right now change your perspective?
Leader’s Note: Jesus told us to stay focused on today and God’s plan for this moment. He told us to ask for our daily bread, not hoarding out of fear or worry. Trust God with everything that comes your way today.
3. Read Proverbs 3:5-6. What do you need to let go of in your life? How does knowing God will direct your path help you let go?
Leader’s Note: We need to let go of guilt, shame, failure, glory, even nostalgia. We make decisions all the time based on fear and regret over past choices. We may not want to risk or trust again! When we have no direction, the many options can overwhelm us. Or when the path we try turns out to be a bad decision, we need God’s direction. Don’t rely on past experiences or your own logic. Trust God!
4. Read Philippians 3:13-14. How can you “give” God your past? Does this mean forgetting it? How can we press on, and allow God to use our past, while seeking to live for Him today?
Leader’s Note: Our failures (and successes) can block us from our next steps and making progress. Maybe it is past relationships or a bad risk you took. Often, fear of failure and memories of those risks keep us from making progress, pressing forward and following hard after God.
5. Read 1 Peter 5:6-7. To change the direction of your life and trust God, what steps does this verse outline? Read Matthew 10:39. What does Jesus say about trying to cling to your life, and what is guaranteed? If you can trust Jesus with your eternity, can you trust Him with your everyday life?
Leader’s Note: “Humble yourself.” It’s so hard! Life is not all about us, our failures, our shame, or even our successes. We have got to let all of it go, and then put everything that is worrying us at the feet of Jesus. Pray and give it all to Him, and He will work it out.
6. Action Step: What can you do to let go and trust God? What about your thought life? What about guilt? What about planning? What about worrying? Can these be sins?
Leader’s Note: Take control of your thoughts: don’t rehash what you did, what you said, what was done to you. Stop the cycle of thoughts. If you have guilt, make a list and ask forgiveness, if possible, then let it go. Ask God’s forgiveness, also, then refuse to think about it. If you over-plan, it can be a sign that you want to control every detail rather than allow God. To take control. Pray instead! If you catch yourself worrying, stop and pray! Write down that you have prayed and committed this issue and care to God.
Deeper
Leader: This section is designed for further use in your Life Group or for personal study. These can also be used as discussion points and ways to stay connected with your group throughout the week. Encourage your group to take time daily to walk through these questions.
The Bible is given to us as examples (1 Corinthians 10:6) of how God acts, how people fail and then succeed with His help, and how trusting in God changes things. Look at some of these who might be considered “control freaks.”
7. MARTHA: Read Luke 10:38-42. What “feelings” did Martha’s actions cause in her? What was the remedy?
Leader’s Note: Her serving made her distracted, anxious, worried about accomplishing it all, and envious of her sister. Jesus’ answer is to be like Mary, stopping and sitting with Him.
8. PAUL: Read Acts 7:54-59, 8:1-3, 9:3-16, 23-27. What horror and regrets did Paul have in his past? Does this put Philippians 3:13-14 (above) in a different light?
Leader’s Note: Paul approved of and supported the murder of Stephen. He continued to round up and persecute Christians. He was well known and feared as an enemy of the Gospel of Jesus, yet he wrote most of the New Testament and brought the Good News to the Gentiles--to us!
9. JONAH: Read Jonah 1:1-3, 2:9-10, 3:1-5, 10, 4:1-3, 5-6, 8-11. In so many ways, Jonah wants to either ignore God or control the outcomes. List them. How are these like your own efforts?
Leader’s Note: Jonah refuses to go and preach to the people of Nineveh, but God turns him around and humbles him. Then Jonah goes, but all the while, he hopes for their destruction. He is offended that God would allow them to repent and would save them. He wants to die because God extends mercy. Yet God is God and is gracious. He gave Jonah a shady gourd, then He took it away. Notice that Jonah’s happiness depends on the outcomes he wants, not in God’s will.