Be with God in Your Fears

What if God doesn’t remove your fears but meets you in the middle of them? In this last message in our UNAFRAID series, we’ll look at how Jesus wrestled with deep anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane and how he found strength through honest prayer and a desire for close friends. We’ll learn that God welcomes our real emotions and rather than waiting for fear to disappear, we can step forward with God’s help and the support of others. Watch Full Service Discussion Guide  To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here. To view a .docx version of this guide, click here. Before you begin, spend some time together in prayer  Introduction  Last week we talked about how we can face the fear of speaking the truth in love with Jesus’ help and the action step was to look for ways to speak up with honesty and grace. Discuss how everyone was able to implement this throughout their week.  This week, we are discussing trusting God and the way he helps us through our fears.  Connect   What is one irrational fear you used to have as a kid?   How did you get past that fear?  Opening  Sometimes the things we fear come and go, but sometimes they are very real and they stick around. God wants us to remember, however, that even when fear or worry shows up, we don’t have to face it alone. There’s a way to find a quiet strength and a sense of peace, even in the middle of things that feel uncertain or hard. Today, we’ll explore what it looks like to notice those moments, take small steps, ask for help from others, and discover the comfort and connection that God brings, even when life feels a little shaky.  This leads us to our main idea for this week  We can find a powerful connection with God in the midst of our fears.  Unpack  Read each set of verses out loud as a group, making observations as you go. Afterward discuss each of the connected questions before moving to the next set of verses:  Read   1 Peter 5:7  James 5:13-16  What stands out to you about these verses?   How do you act when you are going through a troubling times? How does it affect your daily life?  How often do you prioritize prayer when you’re going through hardship or fear? Why do you think prayer can be overlooked during these times?  Why do you think it’s important to remember that God wants to go through your troubling times with you?  If you feel comfortable, share a difficult time you went through with your group. How did you see God through that process?  Read   2 Corinthians 1:3-4  1 Timothy 2:1  Philippians 2:1-2  During his message on Sunday, Pastor Jason talked about the story of Jesus asking his friends to ‘stay awake’ and pray with him shortly before he was going to die. Similarly, the verses we just read together describe that we should help others when we go through difficulties.   Why do you think it is important that we help and comfort others when they are going through troubles or hardships?   How can you use your own experience with God comforting you to bring comfort to someone else? What are some practical ways this could help?  Action Step   This week, help someone going through a current fear in their life  Take a moment to think of someone in your life that may need help because they are going through some kind of hardship. How can you be in prayer for them? How can you reach out to them to help them feel comforted?  This could look like prayer, encouragement, hanging out, calling, serving them in some way, anything. Ask God to help you see what is most helpful and loving.  Closing   Sometimes fear and worry come and go, and sometimes they stick around longer than we’d like. Even in those moments, we don’t have to face them alone. God is with us through it all, and even the smallest actions can remind us that connection, courage, and comfort are always within reach, even when life feels uncertain or shaky. This week, try to look for ways you can help someone else work through a current fear in their life and seek God’s comfort as well.   Pray Together  Pray for the Missionary Focus this week, then take prayer requests from your group and conclude your time in prayer for your group.  Missionary Focus  D and J  (For some of our missionaries, certain details are kept private to protect their safety and the sensitive nature of their work. Thank you for understanding as we share what we can.):   D and J are building relationships with an unreached people group in Southeast Asia.  Prayer Requests:  For their ministry to continue to gain momentum   That they would have minimal obstacles with the local government  Spend a few minutes in prayer for D and J  Reflection Verse for the Week   *Read this verse, then encourage the practice of reflection and memorization through the week.  Hebrews 4:16  “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”  **When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us.  Daily Devotional Verses   Use the S.O.A.P. method to reflect on the verses below.  Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned.  Day 1: Romans 12:12  Day 2: John 15:7  Day 3: 1 Peter 1:13  Day 4: Colossians 4:2  Day 5: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  Day 6: Psalm 18:6  The post Be with God in Your Fears appeared first on Journey of Faith.