You
Don’t Have What It Takes:
You Can’t Control The Future
Big Idea:
We experience
peace with the future by trusting God’s plan.
Key Verse: Read Matthew
6:23-24 (The Message)
What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so
preoccupied with getting, so
you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and
the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he
works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't
worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be
met.
The Scoop: When we think
about “the future,” it can bring all sorts of emotions. There is often a sense
of great anticipation and excitement about both the short-term and long-term
future: a holiday, a big vacation, getting married, becoming a parent, moving
into adulthood, taking the next career step, etc. But for many of us, one of the strongest emotions that comes
with thinking about the future is anxiety. We can do very little to control the
future, and its human nature to fear the unknown or things out of our control.
1. Which
of these “future fears” do you feel the right now?
Fear
of someone close to you dying
Fear
of not being financially secure in your retirement
Fear
of nuclear war or some worldwide disaster
Fear
of being abandoned by a spouse, friends or family
Fear
of getting too far into debt or bankruptcy
Other
(name it!)
2.
How has bringing your fears to God made a
difference in your life? If you haven’t brought your fears to God, what keeps
you from doing it?
What’s Next? (take
home/further processing/application)
Which
of these practical steps to increase your faith in God about the future, do you
most need to practice this week?
a. Spend more time recognizing and remembering
God’s provision in your past.
b. Learn and understand more about what God
actually promises to do in your life (through studying the Bible, learning it
from others).
c. Bring your fears to God by spending real time
praying to Him about them.
d. Exercise your faith by taking a risk, by step
out in faith to do something that scares you and requires you to trust God.
e. Other
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