Sermon Response Guide

PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: 
Psalm 37:1-11 ESV

¹ Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
² For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.
⁶ He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
⁹ For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

¹⁰ In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant peace.

Key Points

• We are exhausted from endless competition at work in our lives with:

• 1. Others
  2. Society
  3. Ourselves

• How do I recover my strength? 
  
  Stay the course and continually commit yourself to trusting and following Jesus, and even when you feel weak, find a simple way to take one step forward.

• How do I leverage my strength? 
  
  Allow God to use you to cultivate, mentor, and use your resources to bless and encourage others, and experience the fruit of the Spirit at work in your life.

Memory Verse

Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”
-Psalm 37:5 ESV

Questions for Reflection

Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:

1: When was a time you felt like you were behind society’s timeline for your life?

• How did feeling behind in life affect your relationship with God?
• Based on today’s message, what do you think God might want to say to you when you’re feeling behind?

2: Do you find yourself more tempted to compete with others or with yourself? In other words, who are you most often trying to keep up with – yourself or those around you?

• Why do you think that is?
• What truth from God can you cling to instead of the gnawing need to compete?

3: What is the difference between competition and celebration?

• If competition breeds exhaustion, what might celebration bring forth?
• What is one way you can choose to celebrate rather than compete this week?

4: What do you think it means to be “winning battles and losing the war?”

• How have you experienced this in your own life?

5: What is the primary truth God revealed to you today?

• How will you respond?
• Who do you know who you can encourage with the truth this week?

Pray

Lord, we are exhausted. You know that full well. But sometimes we need to breathe deep and let out a hefty sigh that conveys in groanings too deep for words: we are spent, and we need you. Search us and show us where and how we may find the strength we need to walk with you and rest in you. Teach us the rhythm of living in the fullness of both.