Weekly Discussion Guide

GROUP DISCUSSION
1. Open with prayer. (2-5 min)
2. Share your story ... How has the quarantine impacted your ability to connect with people who are close to you? (7-10 min)
3. Discuss these questions with your group. (20-45 min)
4. Read 1 Samuel 22:1; Psalm 142; Psalm 57

1 Samuel 22:1
David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.

What are some "caves" in which you needed to hide? What drove you there?

Psalm 142:1-3
I cry aloud to the Lord;
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
before him I tell my trouble.
When my spirit grows faint within me,
it is you who watch over my way.

Why should we not hold back when it comes to telling God what's really going on? How can this help us cope during our "cave time"?

Psalm 57:1-3
Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me.
He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me—
God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

How does God's mercy heal us during times of isolation? What is one thing about God you can focus on and for which you can worship Him during this time?

PLAN OF ACTION
Be deliberate this week about connecting with at least one person in your sphere of influence with whom you have not had contact for weeks or months—especially someone who may have retreated into his or her own cave.