Finding God in Our Feelings - Embracing Joy (Lite)

Opening Prayer & Check-in 
Listen Up: Joy
Scripture Texts: Habakkuk 3:17-19; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 5:11
Sermon Preamble: Pastor Tammy shared that she was closing this series differently based on where she sensed God was leading coupled with the state of the world. Before doing that, she recapped the series:

• We started with the call, to be honest about our emotions and our feelings, looked at how King David dealt with His feelings, and how he brought them before God.
• We then dealt with guilt and shame in the story of Tamar and how for us, guilt and shame can cause us to hide and if we want how, we can find God in these feelings.
• We then looked at grief and how as Dr. Stan Long put it, “We cannot live in this world without experiencing grief and loss, no one is exempt from it.”
• We followed this up by looking at anger and using the iceberg metaphor; much of what lies beneath the surface shows up in anger and how anger typically is a result of unmet expectations.
• Finally, we looked at loneliness, its impacts, and how the antidote ties to our Connecting with God, Growing Together, and Changing the World strategies.

Pastor Tammy then shared that her original intent for this Sunday was one that was celebratory. However, the current state of the world, from the ongoing COVID challenges, the war in Ukraine, inflation, the racially motivated killings in Buffalo, to the senseless killing of 19 children and 2 adults, the world is just heavy. And when you add what is going on in each of our lives, it is a lot to process. And before we can get to joy, we have to sit with and express our feelings. She then asked that we break into small groups, voice our feelings, and offer prayer to God as part of our lament.
Finding God in Our Feelings

• Deep sadness for grieving families
• Care and concern for traumatized children
• Anger with politicians and the lust for power
• Hopelessness - continued racial hate crimes
• Frustration with those unmoved

It’s Prayer Time…

• Prayer is not “the only thing we can do”
• Prayer is not “the least thing we can do”
• Prayer is the absolute best thing we can co
• For we are wrestling not against flesh and blood therefore, this battle must be fought from our knees and in our prayer closets
• Psalm 118:24; Nehemiah 8:10; Habakkuk 3:17-19

 The Bible on Joy

• Psalm 16:11, You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand
• Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit
• Joy is an attribute of God
• Jesus is the center of our Joy
• Joy is mentioned 430 times in the English Standard Version of the Bible

Joy is a Choice

• It takes resolute strength to choose joy in the midst of struggle, hardship, or pain
• Joy is not only a choice, but joy is an act of resistance
• Choose joy instead of giving in to what is going on around us, in us, and to us
• Stand with God and fight back with joy as our weapon

The Presence of God

• Our joy must overflow from the presence of God and that comes from being in His presence
• “Joy flows from a deeply rooted conviction that not only does God cause all things to work together for good for those who love Him; but inherent in joy is the sense of delight in God that can cause our heart to smile even if things on the outside seem to be falling apart.” - John Lindell
• “We’re not joyful and then become grateful - We’re grateful, and that makes us joyful” - Brennan Manning

Closing Thoughts 
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection over them, that all who love your name may be filled with joy. - Psalm 5:11


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Head 
  • Looking back on this series, which of the topics was the most informative to you to where you are currently in your faith journey? What is your takeaway from this series and how will you apply in an effort to be filled with His presence?
  • What are the spiritual practices or disciplines you have in place to help ensure that you are filled with the presence of God? If someone were to ask you what it means to be filled with His presence, how would you explain it?
  • Throughout these past few years and especially these past few weeks, has your prayer time increased or decreased? Have you spent more or less time in His word? If your time of prayer and study has increased, what have you found out about God and yourself? If not, how can this group help you do so?
  • What will you do or apply in your life to become more joyful?
• Heart
  • Habakkuk 3:17 describes some very hard circumstances. Have you gone through a hard season in your life? How did you respond? Habakkuk moves from describing his situation to rejoicing. How can we get better at rejoicing in tough times, and in good times?
  • Habakkuk 3:19 uses strong imagery. What does it mean that the Lord is our strength? How does that strength manifest itself as joy?
  • Why do you believe that in times like these and with so many negative things going on, it is imperative that Christians choose joy? How might our doing so help change the world?
  • What changes would you need to make in your life to make joy and act of resistance and where would making this stand have the greatest kingdom impact? Will you commit to making those changes and taking a stand for God?
• Hands 

No matter what you encounter this week, make a conscious effort to choose joy. Spend time in God’s Word, look for passages about joy, write down one or two, and let them be your anchor passages. Ask God to reveal to you someone in your sphere of influence who could use some joy. Then, reach out to them and without being obnoxious, make your joy infectious and contagious.

YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT

• Head 
  • Looking back on this series, which of the topics was the most informative to you to where you are currently in your faith journey? What is your take away from this series and how will you apply in an effort to be filled with His presence?
  • What are the spiritual practices or disciplines you have in place to help ensure that you are filled with the presence of God? If someone were to ask you what it means to be filled with His presence, how would you explain it?
  • Throughout these past few years and especially these past few weeks, has your prayer time increased or decreased? Have you spent more or less time in His word? If your time of prayer and study has increased, what have you found out about God and yourself? If not, how can this group help you do so?
  • Watch this short video and briefly discuss what you can take from it and apply in your life in order that you can become more joyful.
• Heart
  • Habakkuk 3:17 describes some very hard circumstances. Have you gone through a hard season in your life? How did you respond? Habakkuk moves from describing his situation to rejoicing. How can we get better at rejoicing in tough times, and in good times?
  • Habakkuk 3:19 uses strong imagery. What does it mean that the Lord is our strength? How does that strength manifest itself as joy?
  • Why do you believe that in times like these, with so many negative things going on, it is imperative that Christians choose joy? How might our doing so help change the world?
  • What changes would you need to make in your life to make joy and act of resistance and where would making this stand have the greatest kingdom impact? Will you commit to making those changes and taking a stand for God?
• Hands 

No matter what you encounter this week, make a conscious effort to choose joy. Spend time in God’s Word, look for passages about joy, write down one or two, and let them be your anchor passages. Ask God to reveal to you someone in your sphere of influence who could use some joy. Then, reach out to them and without being obnoxious, make your joy infectious and contagious.
 
CHILDREN

• Head 
  • Parents, share with your child(ren) the benefits of joy in the midst of whatever life throws at them and how joy is a choice they must make.
• Heart
  • Discuss with your children where joy comes from and how to experience the presence of God.
• Hands
  • Demonstrate to your children how you are being joyful and how you are spreading that joy and ask them to share it with their friends.