Discussion Questions
Choose the questions for your group; no pressure to use all of them.
Start Off
- Jeff shared a story about his anxious heli-ski trip. What’s a recent situation that made you feel anxious or overwhelmed?
- Jeff said anxiety comes from a Greek word meaning “to be divided.” How have you experienced anxiety pulling your thoughts or emotions in different directions?
Reflect on God’s Word
- Read Philippians 4:6-7. What does Paul say we should do when we start to feel anxious in order to trade anxiety for peace?
- Reread Philippians 4:6-7. How does including thanksgiving in our prayers impact our perspective?
- When you hear the word “peace,” what usually comes to mind? How is biblical peace different from simply having calm circumstances?
- Jeff said anxiety is often imagining the future without a good and sovereign God in it. How does remembering that God is both good and in control change the way you think about your worries?
Go Deeper
- Take a few minutes to individually reflect and write out (on some paper) one specific situation in your life where you need to trade anxiety for God’s peace. Then go around and share what you wrote with the group.
Pray
- Pass your paper to the person to the right of you. Then, starting with one person, go around the circle, praying for the person on your left (the last person can end the prayer). The prayer could be as simple as reading what was written on the sheet of paper and asking God to help bring peace to that situation. As you are able, pray according to Philippians 4:6-7: acknowledge God’s goodness and control, thank him for past faithfulness, bring the specific concern to him, and ask him to exchange anxiety for his peace.
- The last person to go can also end the time of prayer by reading the following prayer: God of PEACE, By the power of the Holy Spirit, Fill us with your PEACE, So that it will overflow out of us, Each day and every way, In the week ahead. Amen.
VERSE TO MEDITATE ON AND MEMORIZE THIS WEEK
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE (BETWEEN MEETINGS)
- Day 1 – Notice Your Anxiety: Read Philippians 4:6. The first step toward peace is recognizing what is making you anxious. Instead of ignoring or suppressing worry, notice it and bring it to God. Write down the top 2-3 things currently causing you anxiety, and pray: “God, you already know what is weighing on me. Help me bring these concerns to you instead of carrying them alone.”
- Day 2 – Turn Worry into Prayer. Read 1 Peter 5:7. God invites us to cast our cares on Him because He cares for us. Every worry can become a prayer. When you feel anxiety today, pause and immediately turn that worry into a short prayer, and pray: “God, I’m worried about ____. I’m giving this to you. Teach me to bring my worries to you first.”
Day 3 – Practice Thanksgiving. Read Philippians 4:6. Gratitude shifts our focus from what might go wrong to how God has already been faithful. Write down five things you are thankful for, including ways God has helped you in the past. Pray: “Thank you, God, for your faithfulness in my life. Remind me that you will continue to be with me.”
- Day 4 – Be Specific with God. Read Matthew 7:7. God invites us to bring specific requests, not vague worries. Take one specific concern and ask God clearly for what you need—wisdom, provision, healing, guidance, or peace. Pray: “God, this situation feels bigger than me. I trust you with it and ask for your help.”
- Day 5 – Receive God’s Peace. Read Philippians 4:7. Peace is not something we manufacture; it’s something God gives. His peace guards our hearts and minds. Spend 5 minutes in quiet, breathing slowly and reminding yourself: “God is good. God is in control. God is with me.” Pray: “Father, fill me with your peace today. Help me trust you with whatever comes.”