Weekly Discussion Guide

MY STORY | Starting Place
What might be some tendencies in your thoughts and/or behaviors over which you feel a degree of powerlessness? How could these unhealthy inclinations have possibly kept you from growing in the ways you’d like?

DIGGING DEEPER | Practical Biblical Application
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-2)

Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,

When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. (Jonah 2:7)

The Jonah story reveals how fallen human nature has a tendency to go the opposite of God’s direction, driven by a mind to manipulate, and then praying in order to negotiate, and finally debate for the purpose of placing blame.

Do you remember a time when you clearly (or passively) said “No” to God about something He wanted you to do? If so, what happened?

How might you currently be negotiating with God about a particular hurt, hang-up, or habit?

GROWING TOGETHER | Spiritual Friendship
[The genuine repentance of the Ninevites] displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. (Jonah 4:1)

Pastor Chris told us how brutal and cruel the Assyrians could be to the people they conquered—more than likely, those victims would have included people Jonah knew, perhaps even friends and family members.

Does forgiving someone who is arrogant & remorseless mean you need to trust that person, or to be reconciled with him or her?
Why or why not?

Is there someone in your past who has caused a significant loss in your life — a person you’d like to see experience the full wrath of God?

If so, what hurdles do you face in forgiving this individual?

MOVING OUTWARD | Faith in Action
React to the following statement:

“Mercy for my enemies means mercy for me.”

For whom can you ask for God’s mercy, especially if this person is showing no signs of owning up to what happened?

Where do you need to ask “please” for God’s mercy in your own life?

What sort of unease do you recognize are the outcomes of a habit you’d like to overcome? What unresolved hurts or losses might be behind that unhealthy habit?