I Thought It Was Through
Pastor Steven Furtick
Sermon Highlights
Even if you don’t see it, even if you don’t feel it, God is working.
The biggest enemy to what God wants to do is “What I Thought” He was going to do.
The only thing more difficult than remembering and admitting I was wrong is realizing I am wrong right now.
It’s possible that the devil has you trapped in an “I Thought” right now, and some of your “I Thoughts” are wrong.
You can’t block an “I Thought,” you have to deal with it.
You know the enemy has you in an “I Thought” when it’s: Personal, Permanent, and Pervasive.
Never allow distress (temporary) to turn into despair (forever).
A Truth for the Trap: I thought it was through, then I thought it through.
If I can’t get help from God the way I want it, I’m going to think this through.
The challenge is that you can’t see the path in the present. You only see God’s tracks when you look back.
You don’t have to see his footprints to trust His purpose.
Scriptures
Psalm 77:19 - Even if you don’t see it, God is working.
Psalm 77:2-9 - I thought God was the problem
Psalm 77:10-12 - Then I thought…
Exodus 14:11; 26-28 - God makes a path for Israel
Exodus 15:1 - Israel sang a song looking back
Sermon Discussion
Conversation Starter
Pastor Steven started his message today talking about times we thought we were right but ended up being completely wrong. Share a funny story about a time you were absolutely sure you were right about something but ended up being completely wrong.
Discussion Questions
“You know the enemy has you in an ‘I Thought’ when it’s: Personal, Permanent, and Pervasive.” Which one of these 3 P’s do you find yourself leaning toward when in distress? What truths can you hold on to when facing this trap?
“I thought it was through, then I thought it through.” Where have you believed something was over, but God’s inviting you to think through it at a deeper level?
Additional Questions
“The biggest enemy to what God wants to do is ‘What I Thought’ He was going to do.” What expectations do you need to let go of and trust that God is working — even if it’s not the way you thought He would?
“The challenge is that you can’t see the path in the present. You only see God’s tracks when you look back.” Where can you look back and see that this was true in your life? What did God teach you through that experience?
“You can’t block an ‘I Thought,’ you have to deal with it.” What’s a thought you’ve been trying to ignore, but you know it’s time to face? What’s one small step you can take this week to start dealing with it in a healthy way?
Prayer Prompt
Ask this question to your eGroup and include it as part of your closing prayer:
Pastor Steven reminded us this week: “You don’t have to see God’s footprints to trust His purpose.”
Ask your eGroup: What do you have coming up this week that you need to trust God has a purpose for, even if it’s hard to see Him working through it?
Thank God for the message this week and the reminder that even when we don’t see Him working, He is. Pray that your eGroup members will remember to trust God’s purpose as they go into this week. As they face whatever challenges come their way, pray that God would help them to trust that His hand is working in their lives in a great way and that they will be able to look back and see all that God has done for them through the challenges they deal with.