Mission Community Guide • Week of 10/18
Options for Engagement Before Group
Introduction
For most of us, “the Wall” appears through a crisis that turns our world upside down. It comes, perhaps, through a divorce, a job loss, the death of a close friend or family member, a cancer diagnosis, a disillusioning church experience, a betrayal, a shattered dream, a wayward child, a car accident, an inability to get pregnant, a deep desire to marry that remains unfulfilled, a spiritual dryness or a loss of joy in our relationship with God. We question ourselves, God, and the church. We discover for the first time that our faith does not appear to “work.” We have more questions than answers as the very foundation of our faith feels like it is on the line. We don’t know where God is, what he is doing, where he is going, how he is getting us there, or when this will be over. . . . It (the Wall) is not simply a one-time event that we pass through and get beyond. It appears to be something we return to as part of our spiritual journey and our ongoing relationship with God.
Discussion Questions
Did anyone discover anything about themselves (habits, patterns of dealing with things, etc…) last week that was learned from going back to your past?
In this season of life, what is the biggest obstacle that you face?
In order to grow in Christ, every believer must go through Walls, or “dark nights of the soul.” This is God’s way of rewiring and “purging our affections and passions” that we might delight in his love and enter into a richer, fuller communion with him. In this way he frees us from unhealthy attachments and idolatries of the world. How does this perspective serve as an encouragement for you today?
What are some possible reasons you have a hard time accepting and moving through Walls?