God can use stress in the Christian's life to teach dependence - if you'll let him.
Talking Points:
- Being a Christian doesn’t just affect our Sunday mornings or our theological beliefs. It has many practical benefits in our everyday lives, and managing stress is one of those benefits. Philippians 4:6
- Stress isn’t all bad. Short periods of stress are good for people, motivating us to lead healthy and productive lives. Stress hormones are generated in the adrenal glands, and God put those hormones in our bodies for a reason
- For followers of God, there’s something more we need to recognize. God uses stress to teach us dependence upon him. 2 Chronicles 20:12
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What kinds of things typically stress you out? Make a list.
- If you’re a pursuer of God, how has your faith affected the way you deal with stress? Give an example.
- What effect does “bad stress” have on your body? On the other side, what are the pros of “good stress”?
- One of the defining characteristics of Christians is their trust in Jesus. Describe what this means. How should this affect the way they handle stress?
- Read 2 Chronicles 20:12. Share a time when you prayed like that to God.
- What are some typical ways people try to escape stress? How does that shortcut the plan of God for our lives?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
