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Navigating Our Fears and Distractions

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me. Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. PSALM 27 NIV

DWELL

… that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, PSALM 27:4 NIV

GAZE

… to gaze on the beauty of the LORD … PSALM 27:4 NIV

What distractions are keeping you from gazing at God?

INQUIRE

 … and to inquire in his temple. PSALM 27:4 ESV

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” JOHN 16:33 NIV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a place where you can be alone with God for some time of reflection. Wait until you have become reasonably quiet in your feelings and thoughts. Take some deep breaths and a walk if you need to in order to become still within. Commit the time to the Lord for His purposes. When you are ready, consider loving others as Jesus has loved you. Think about how Jesus loved you when He died a horrible death for you, even when you did not deserve it. What are your thoughts and feelings regarding this demonstration of His mature love? What impresses you about Jesus’ standard of love? Ask God to help you recall how you have not loved others with mature attitudes, thoughts, or actions. Picture how your relationships would improve by loving them with His sacrificial love. Pray that He will reveal what you can do or give up to experience more of His mature love for others. What is one action God has impressed upon you that He wants to help you take this week to love others more like He does? Close your time by asking Jesus to give you a glimpse of where He might want to take you as you journey into loving others more like He does.

Discussion Questions

For this week, start with reading the Psalm in question 1. For the rest of the group time, consider providing a quiet space for your group to reflect on the questions before answering. Prayerfully consider which of these God is prompting you to respond to.

  1. Read Psalm 27:1-4 (NLT) aloud.
  2. DWELL: Where do you find yourself going for peace?
  3. DWELL: What practices do you employ in order to draw close to Jesus?
  4. DWELL: How has your view of heaven changed over the years?
  5. GAZE: When have you become fixated on something, good or bad? How did it affect you and your relationships with others?
  6. GAZE: Pause and sit in silence as a group. Take a few moments, individually, to inwardly focus on Jesus (allow space for the “awkward silence” in the room). Afterward, share what that experience was like for you.
  7. GAZE: What can you do to more regularly fix your attention on the things of God, especially when life gets crazy?
  8. INQUIRE: What do you need most from Jesus right now?
  9. INQUIRE: If there was one area of your heart you wish could change, what would it be?
  10. INQUIRE: Read Mark 10:51 (NLT). Spend some time in quiet prayer right now. Ask Jesus for what you want or need. Keep it personal (about you) and not about external circumstances (like politics, etc.).