Deeper Than You Think
Pastor Steven Furtick
Conversation Starters
What has been the happiest moment of your summer so far?
Pastor Steven talked about the Beach Boys music being happy. What music puts you in a great mood and makes you feel the happiest?
Review
Ask eGroup members to share their favorite points from the message, what spoke to them, a phrase or moment they related to the most, or questions they have. If members have a hard time recalling the message, talk through your notes and share your favorite points.
Make It Personal
“We solve it on the level we see it.” What’s something that, looking back now, you realized you were solving at the wrong level (e.g. a dispute with someone, eating habits, shopping habits, etc.)? What is one practical way you can go deeper to solve this at the right level?
Pastor Steven talked about how most Jewish people would go around Samaria because they didn’t like the Samaritans, even though it made their trip longer. In your life, have you ever gone the long or harder way to avoid something you didn’t want to face?
Pastor Steven defined peace as letting God explain it later. Looking back on your life, has there been a time something didn’t make sense in the moment, but you realized why it happened later? Explain your experience.
“It takes no faith to move on an explanation.” Is there something in your life that you are asking God “why” or “how” about in this season? What are you believing Him for and what ways can you praise Him through that situation?
“Be careful to not rush your judgment on someone’s situation that you haven’t shared.” Have you ever treated someone differently or made assumptions about a person without knowing the full story? What steps can you take (or could you have taken) to understand this person or situation on a deeper level?
“Sometimes what you are dealing with right now is not what you are dealing with right now.” What past things have you seen or experienced that affect your life today?
Act On It
Pastor Steven was talking about how we are so quick to skim our Bible that we end up missing out on the depth of what it’s saying. This week, pick a passage of the Bible to read and sit in it throughout the week. Spend some time each day reading and reflecting on what you read to really understand the depth that is in there. Grab a journal, and as you read, write down the things that stick out to you.
If you don’t know where to begin, start with the passages from this sermon:
The woman at the well (John 4)
Worship and Prayer
Ask eGroup members to share any prayer requests they have. Record any notes or prayer requests to pray for each other during the week.
God,
Thank You for each person in this eGroup. I pray that as we reflect on our lives and our relationships, You can give us the ability to go deeper. May we sit in Your presence and slow down so we can understand the depth of what You are trying to say. I pray that as we discover the hard things at the root of our lives, we can let You in as our healer and as our strength.
Amen.