Make Room- Week 6

CONTENTMENT

Recap:
One of the big reasons why we lack margin and haven't been able to Make Room for the most important things in our lives is because we are in a lifelong battle for contentment, and it has proven to be very elusive.

Because so many people are lacking true contentment in life, we tend to jam our schedules to find it, put strain on our relationships seeking it, and buy things that we think will obtain it.  Yet here we are: strapped, stressed, strained, overwhelmed, overworked, overbooked, and STILL not content.

Ice Breaker:
1- When you go to a restaurant, do you ask other people what they are going to order before you tell the server what you want?  (I want to make sure that what others are ordering isn't something that I want too!)

2- When's the last time you saw something that someone else had and you really, really wanted it?  (maybe a house, car, cell phone, a picture of something you saw on social media).


Transition:
Contentment is "enjoying what you have right now instead of waiting on something that you don't have to be happy."  Contentment isn't a magic pill, and you won't obtain it overnight.  It's a path to walk in life, and Paul lays out the steps in Philippians 4.


READ Philippians 4:10-11.  Paul start with GRATITUDE FIRST.

3- Gratitude cuts down on worry, discontentment, and getting caught up in the comparison trap in life.  What are ways that you express your gratitude to others every day?

4- How do you as a Christian express your gratitude to God?

5- Take a few minutes and share with the group 2-3 things you are grateful for in your life right now.


READ vs 12.  Paul helps us see that MORE Won't Make You Content.

6-   Most people in our culture think contentment can be earned, worked for, or obtained as a result of something else.  But Paul says that contentment is LEARNED.

7- Why is it so much easier to complain about the things we DON'T have and so unnatural to take time and tell people how thankful and grateful we are for what we DO have?

8- Contentment isn't found in your circumstances or your situations in life.  It's not found in being rich, powerful, or popular.  So if someone asked you the secret to contentment, what answer would you give them?


READ vs 13

9- Most athletes say that Philippians 4:13 is their "life verse."  In our culture, it has come to mean that God can give anyone an MVP, Championship trophy, or a personal record at any competition.  Did you know that this verse is rooted in the context of contentment in life?  How does that change the way you read or process this popular verse?


READ vs 14-19.  Contentment is connected to our ability to maintain an ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE in life.

10- Focusing on the short term will wear you out, make you worry, stress you out, and make you overcommit.  What does is mean to have an eternal perspective in the following areas:

A- Marriage/Relationships
B- Job
C- Finances
D- Calendar
E- Personal Evangelism
F- Serving the Community around you


Next Steps:
11- Do something DAILY to show your gratitude in 3 major areas: 1- To God;  2- To family;  3- To friends/coworkers.  Commit to learning the discipline of gratitude by practicing it daily.

12- Carve some time out daily/weekly to take stock of the ways that God is blessing you and moving around you.  Paul stopped and called out specific people (Epaphradities and the Church of Philippi) and specific blessings (financial partnerships and gifts). Who are your people and blessings in life?


Additional Study:
13- Read Matthew 6:25-34

A- Anxiety has become a big part of our society. What does Jesus say about being anxious?
B- How does God's provision for seemingly insignificant parts of His creation encourage you?
C- When Jesus says, "all these things will be added to you" what things is he talking about? (Jesus is saying we should not worry about our basic needs, not that all of the extra luxuries are guaranteed in life.)


14- Read Philippians 4:4-9

A. How do you think peace and contentment relate to each other? Are they the same?  If not, what's the difference?
B. What are the steps Paul gives to receive peace?
C. How do these steps to peace look similar to the steps towards contentment?