Locations & Times

What do you do when you get the wind knocked out of you? We have the privilege of learning from Dr. Crawford Loritts as he leads us through a great discussion on how to handle and maybe even find joy in seasons of disappointment, discouragement, and depression.

SETLIST

Praise Available on "Can You Imagine?" from Elevation Worship 

Whole Heart (Hold Me Now) Available on “As You Find Me (Live) – Single” from Hillsong Church 

Same God Available on "LION" from Elevation Worship

Group Questions

Guest Speaker

Crawford Loritts

August 26th, 2023

Discouragement

Crawford Loritts

Aug 27th, 2023

// Bible References
Psalm 119:143-144, 126:4-6; Philippians 4:4, Acts 16:16-25; Hebrews 11:1,6; Romans 12:15-18

// Community Question
What does discouragement look like? What are some common ways people handle discouragement?

// Intro
In his sermon on facing discouragement, Mr. Loritts articulated five different choices/decisions that we need to make so discouragement doesn’t define our life.

// Discussion Questions

1. Read Psalm 119:143-144 What does it mean to decide Truth during discouragement? How does acknowledging the truth of a discouraging situation and the ability of God’s word to speak into it help us begin to move through it? How can knowing more of God’s word give us perspective that helps us re calibrate our thinking when facing discouraging situations?
   
2. Read Philippians 4:4, Acts 16:16-25 What does it mean to choose Joy during discouragement? How did Paul and Silas demonstrate joy by singing while imprisoned? How does knowing nothing can separate us from the love of God or take His love away, change the way we face discouraging situations?
   
3. Read Hebrews 11:1,6. What does it mean to choose Faith during discouragement? Mr. Loritts explained that faith is not denial of the truth of discouraging situations, but the defiance of it. How does having defiant faith that God has the final word in our discouraging situation bring hope?
   
4. Read Romans 12:15-18. What does it mean to choose community during discouragement? How can living in community help our perspective in discouraging situations? How might transparency with other Christians strengthen us and help us overcome our discouraging situation?
   
5. Read Psalm 126:4-6. What does it mean to choose service during discouragment? How might choosing service in the midst of our own pain be a pathway to healing? How might serving others give room for God to carry and sustain us?
   

// Challenge: Of the five decisions that need to be made when facing discouragement, which choice can we focus on this week? How can we apply this decision to our lives?