Sermon Study Questions 5.10.26

Icebreaker Questions

1. Think back to a circumstance in your life that you found stressful, painful, or challenging.  What made that circumstance so tough?  Has your perspective on it changed now that time has passed from it?

2. Why do you think, as humans, we tend to develop "tunnel vision" on circumstances when things aren't going well? 

Diving Deeper

1. Read Philippians 1:12.  How does Paul describe his perspective on the difficult circumstances he had found himself in?

2. Read Philippians 1:13.  What "good" came out of Paul's imprisonment?  How does this reality change the way we look at our various trials?

3. Read Philippians 1:14.  How did Paul's fellow Christians respond to his faithfulness?  How should this inspire us to lead others by example?

Life Application Questions

1. Three steps to "Getting Out Of The Tunnel," and shifting our perspective are: (1) Growing in Awareness, (2) Admitting it to God, and (3) Fixing our Eyes on the Bigger Picture.  Of those three steps - what is the most difficult?  How can you practically live out this change in perspective?

2. How could God use your current struggle or hardship to strengthen someone's faith around you?