4/7/06
YOU’RE AT THE BREAKING
POINT
Movie Clip: Dumb
& Dumber, 16-20 min.
One recent survey indicates that
40% of the things we worry about never happen, 30% are in the past and can’t be
changed, 12% concern the affairs of others that aren’t our business, 10% involve
real or imagined sickness, and 8% are worth worrying about (God Said
It, Don’t Sweat It by: Neil Clark Warren).
Things that stress you out:
-
Bathroom scales
-
Subtracting my checkbook
-
Final exams in college
-
Other: ______________________
I think you ought to know about the trouble we went
through… we were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would
never live through it (2 Cor. 1:8, Paul
& Timothy on a missionary journey in the province of Asia)
What to do when you’re at the breaking point:
1)
Release your frustration.
i.
The best reason to give God
your stress:
1. I’m not making too much progress on my own
2. He knows more about my needs than I do
3. He can handle it better than I can
4. Why carry burdens I don’t have to?
5. Other: ____________________
2)
Resist becoming bitter.
a. Watch out that no
bitterness takes root among you… it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their
spiritual lives (Heb. 12:15).
b. No matter what
happens always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you (1 Thess. 5:18).
i.
Gratitude is an antidote to
bitterness. What’s something you’re
grateful for _________________________________________?
3)
Receive help from others.
a. By helping each
other with your troubles, you obey the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).
b. Encourage each
other and give each other strength (1
Thess. 5:11).
i.
One area of your life where
you’d like to receive help from others:
______________________________________________________.
4)
Refocus on Christ.
a. When I had lost
all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord (Jon. 2:7).
b. As pressure and stress bare down on me, I find joy in Your
commands (Ps. 119:143).
c. I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would
see the goodness of the Lord. Be
strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord (Ps. 27:13-14).
d. We saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; therefore,
we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us; for He can
even raise the dead (2 Cor. 1:9).
i.
How
is it possible for you to focus your mind on Christ?
1. Read God’s word (Bible)
2. Remember God’s goodness
3. Rely on God’s power
4. Other: _____________________
5)
Refuse to give up.
a. We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this
all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed,
but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not
destroyed. Even though on the outside
it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is
making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. This is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are
being renewed everyday. For our present
troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4: 8-9, 16-18).
b. Then Jesus said,
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give
you rest. Walk with Me and work with
Me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace (Mt. 11:28-29).
i.
The reason you won’t give up in dealing with the stresses of life:
1.
I know God is with me
2.
I choose to believe God cares for me and is in control
3.
I know God can use this difficulty for my good
4.
There’s no better alternatives
5. Other:
__________________