Theme
Surrender
Title:
Insecurities
Core scripture:
- 2 Cor 12: 9-11
- Phil 4:13
- Isaiah 41:10
- Exodus 4: 1- 4
Welcome:
Any fun and welcoming Icebreaker that gets the members moving, on their feet, where all the members can participate in. If there are new members be careful not to create a space where they feel exposed or uncomfortable.
Word:
Introduce the message with the following questions:
- Do you feel like you have this great calling on your life, but it feels like your humanity is keeping
you from attaining that purpose? - “In my heart I know I have something big God is calling me to but, I feel like my sin is keeping me
from it. I wrestle and wrestle, but I feel like I will never measure up?
It is important to try and make the topic/issue relevant to the lives of your specific members
Motivate your members and talk around this point.
The following argument can be used to explain how God uses our insecurities to excel us into our
purpose:
- Read Exodus 4:1-4 and ask your members what they think about the text
- Explain, how God was the one that filled Moses' insecurity. He was the one who filled the gap with what seemed to be a weakness.
- It is important that you facilitate a discussion around this point.
- God did not let Moses miss his calling because of a weakness. He asked Him “What do you have in your hand?”.
- When Moses' weakness arose, God filled the GAP.
- Read 2 Cor 12: 9-11 and explain to the members that Paul too cried out in frustration to God about a weakness that he had.
- He asked God to take the weakness away from him. Even called it a thorn in his
flesh. Making it real trouble for Paul. - Paul who prayed for people and they were healed. Paul who
stood boldly before the Roman government to proclaim the gospel. - Paul who was stoned to death and resurrected in prayer.
- A man who seemingly had everything figured out cried out about insecurity.
- He asked God to take the weakness away from him. Even called it a thorn in his
- Remind the group that the only reason it is an insecurity is that their confidence is not securely placed in God. We have placed our confidence in our ability to make things work out with our weaknesses. And that stresses us out!
Let your members ponder and speak about this point.
- Read Phil 4:13 and explain to the group that God knows we are human.
- He knows we have inherent flaws. He does not expect us to be perfect. He promises to partner with us and in our weakness still fill the gap to accomplish the mission.
- A great verse to always have handy is Romans 8:38-39. Remind them that nothing present or future or anything in all of creation can stand in the way of God's love and purpose for them.
- It doesn’t matter what bad habit they have, how small they think they are, what their past is. Nothing can stop God's plan for them.
- Encouragement is essential. This a potentially very sensitive topic for most.
- Remind the group of the failing of each character in the Bible.
- Remind them for example, Moses was a murderer, Jacob a cheater, David was an adulterer.
- Everyone in the Bible had inherent flaws. Something they could not “help”.
- Read Isaiah 41:10 Remind the members to not be dismayed, to not get demotivated in times of
insecurity and weakness. When it seems like you cannot see a way to do what you are called to do, God promises to make a way. He promises to uphold. It is in His strength not your own.- Use this as an encouraging conclusion.
- If you are comfortable sharing in a brief story or summary a place in your life where God has filled the gap in your insecurity.
- If members start sharing their own stories take time to listen. Do not let it rule the uGroup. But
try and be compassionate.
Take some time to find scriptures that show how God chooses to partner with imperfect
people. Make sure also to explain that God’s grace does not give us the right to sin or do
nothing to attain our purpose. In our pursuit of His purpose, he makes weakness strength. It's
always a good idea to use a story like an example somewhere in the word to make it easily
understandable to different individuals.
Additional scriptures:
1. Romans 8:37-39 – “More than conquerors”
2. Matthew 19:26 - “Through Him all things are possible”
3. Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh may fail but God never will”
4. Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the weak”
5. Romans 8:29- “The Spirit helps us in our weakness”
6. Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who cannot empathize with our
weaknesses”