Weekly Discussion Guide

1. Open with prayer. (2-5 min)
2. Read Matthew 6:25-34.
3. Discuss these questions with your group. (20-45 min)

MY STORY | Starting Place
When was a time that you faced crippling anxiety? What caused it? What did you do? Have you learned to cope with it or do you still struggle with it?

DIGGING DEEPER | Practical Biblical Application
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
(Matthew 6:25-30)

What goes through your mind when you’re feeling anxious?

How do you feel anxiety in your body?

What are your thoughts about yourself and/or the situation you are in?

What is something that you are currently anxious about? What’s at stake?

Do Jesus’ words here comfort you or frustrated you because of the simplicity of his instructions?

GROWING TOGETHER | Spiritual Friendship
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What
shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
(Matthew 6:31-34)

When you are anxious, who do you talk to? Where do you seek relief? What do you do to feel better?

What potential future losses concern you? What actions steps can you take to prevent those things from happening?

What if you do all those things, and the loss occurs anyway?

What if there are no action steps to take? What do you do then?

MOVING OUTWARD | Faith in Action
Try to find someone this week who is struggling with anxiety, and listen to what concerns them. (Be cautious about offering solutions; it’s usually better just to ask probing questions)