Balancing Life’s Demands Week 1: What Speed Can’t Do

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Balancing Life’s Demands

series overview

Are you feeling busy, burned out, and stretched to the limit? Does life seem a little out of balance? Come learn how to put first things first and find peace in the midst of chaos. Join us at Eastside next weekend as we start our new series, Balancing Life’s Demands.

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Balancing Life’s Demands

weekend in review

Balancing Life’s Demands

WARM UP

Begin with some conversation, checking in on how people are doing. You can talk about whatever you’d like, but here are a few potential questions to get the conversation going.

  • What’s the fastest speed you’ve ever traveled in a car or boat?

  • Have you ever run out of fuel while driving in a car or boat? What did you learn from the experience?
DISCUSSion

Select 3-4 questions from the list below to guide your discussion time.

  • Do you feel that your life is going at a faster pace than you’d prefer? In what way?
  • Gene asked, “What in your life of enduring value has ever occurred when you’re going 200 miles per hour?” What are the things you consider to be of the most enduring value in your life now? Why?
  • What have been some of the richest experiences of your life?
  • Read Psalm 6:3. When King David was experiencing deep anguish in his soul, he turned to the Lord for help. Read Psalm 23:1-3. David described that the Lord restored his soul. When you feel your soul needs restoring, what do you tend to do?
  • Gene gleaned three clues from Psalm 23 as to how the Lord restored joy, vitality, and energy to David’s soul. They are to a) slow down, b) intentionally move into soul-building environments, and c) open yourself to God’s activity. Do you have a story to share about how doing any of these things has changed your life?
  • Sheep are such frantic creatures that the shepherd must make them lie down. If you need to slow down, what obstacles do you see to accomplishing that?
  • Read Hebrews 10:25. Gene spoke of intentionally moving into soul-building environments. What activities do you think of as soul-building for you? What refuels you?
  • Read Mark 1:35. How much do you open yourself to God’s activity? Do you wrestle with speed vs soul? Would it apply to you today if God were to ask, “How come you make time for everything except me?”
application

Write down these three actions to remind yourself of them. Then take some time to come up with at least one thing you can do to accomplish each one as needed in your life. Pray for God to guide you as you draw closer to him.

  • Slow down.

  • Intentionally move into soul-building environments.

  • Open yourself to God’s activity.

  • Remind yourself: If nothing changes, nothing changes.
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WRAP UP & PRAYER

Share prayer requests and spend time praying for each other.

Pray for God to help us slow down for the sake of our souls. As the psalmist illustrated, may we lie down in green pastures. Lead us beside quiet waters. Help those of us who struggle to balance life’s demands. We turn to you, God, to restore our souls and bring us joy and peace and a fresh enthusiasm for life.