Group Discussion Guide

To view the Leader Guide for this week, click here.

To view a .doc version of this guide, click here.

Introduction 

Spend a few minutes checking in with everyone! How did the thanksgiving holiday season go for everyone? 

After your time of connecting, begin your meeting with prayer.  

Key Verse for the Week

*Read this verse, then encourage the practice of memorization through the week. 

Psalm 143:10 

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.” 

**When practiced consistently, memorizing Bible verses can be an important spiritual practice that centers your mind around the truth that God has given us. 

Connect

• What is your first reaction to going through something difficult?  
• Where do you seek comfort when you are going through a tough experience? Where do you look for comfort in your daily frustrations? 
• How healthy would others find your mindset when seeking comfort is?  

Opening Thought  

When we’re going through difficult circumstances, it can be easy to search for experiences or things in our lives to find comfort in. Now, some of these are not inherently bad things in and of themselves, but when we seek them as our source of comfort we miss out on one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit in our lives, which is to be our advocate and our comforter in times of struggle. This leads us to our big idea for this week:

Big idea for the week
Through the Holy Spirit we can know and experience divine comfort. 

Unpack 

Go around your group and have someone read each of the following verses, then discuss the connected questions. 

Read

John 14:15-17 

John 15:26-27 

Discuss

• These two verses are from a time when Jesus was teaching his disciples. What do you think advocacy here means?  
  • If we follow Jesus, we are also known as Jesus’ disciples. Why is it important to know that we have this advocate (the Holy Spirit) with and in us? 
• When have you experienced someone testifying or advocating on your behalf? How did it feel to go through that experience?  

Read

2 Corinthians 13:14 

Romans 8:26-30 

Discuss

• The verse in 2 Corinthians you just read was the final words the author, the Apostle Paul, chose to write to the church in a place called Corinth.  
  • What do you think this verse, being the final words of the letter, says about the level of importance Paul placed on a person’s relationship with the Holy Spirit? How can this lead us to trust in the Holy Spirit more? 
• What are some practical ways we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us in our comfort?  
  • How do you feel about looking towards the Holy Spirit as the source of comfort in your life. Do you feel confident? Unsure? Confused as to how? Share your thoughts if you comfortable. 
• How could having the Holy Spirit as your source of comfort change how you go through challenging circumstances?  
  • How could doing this affect how others see you and your relationship with God? 

Apply 

Based on the verses we just read, there are some things that we can do in response. Take a moment to discuss these questions as a group to decide what your personal action steps for the week can be: 

• How will you be more open to the Holy Spirit being your source of comfort from this week on? 
• How will you be open to the Holy Spirit’s directions more than your own plans from this week on? 
• How can we as a group be more active and open to follow the Holy Spirit on a weekly basis? 

Closing 

Read this to your group and then move to the Prayer and Verses section: 

When the Holy Spirit is the source of our comfort, we can have confidence that we will be provided with what we need in our challenging times. Now, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean that life will always be easy, but when we rely on him for our comfort, we can flourish and be a light to those around us as well.  

Prayer and Verses 

Ask for prayer requests and conclude your time with prayer then share the Key Verse for the Week and Daily Devotional Verses with the group. 

Daily Devotional Verses  

Talk about the Daily Devotional Verses, send them to your group, and check in next week to see what people are learning in their time spent using them. 

Use the S.O.A.K. method to reflect on the verses below. 

Scripture: Read the verses several times. Reading out loud can be helpful as well. 
Observation: What can you see about the scripture you read? 
Application: What is God wanting you to believe, do, or feel, based on what you have read? 
Kneel in Prayer: This is a chance to talk to God about what you have read and ask him for help in living out what you’ve learned. 

Day 1: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 

Day 2: Ephesians 1:13-14 

Day 3: Acts 2:38 

Day 4: Matthew 5:6 

Day 5: Matthew 28:19 

Day 6: John 16:7-8 

Key Verse for the Week

Psalm 143:10 

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.”