Demonstrating Compassion
Purpose for the session: To increase our level of compassion towards our parents, siblings, and friends.
Worship: As you prepare for group, listen to the song “Who you say I am” by Hillsong Worship. Pray back to God what you are thankful for.
Check-In: Share the last thing you experienced that made you laugh, or cry?
Bible Reading: In preparation for group, read Luke 15:11-32, using various translations; Psalm 86:15
Preparation and Discussion for Group Time:
- What emotions or feelings stand out to you from this passage of Scripture?
- Share a brief story about your relationship with your father while you were growing up. (Remember to apply the group guidelines and values.)
- In Psalm 86:15 we read that God is a compassionate and gracious God and He invites us to “be like” Him:
• Be compassionate when wrong choices are made.
• Be compassionate when comparisons could be made.
• Be compassionate so celebrations can be made.
Parents, children, siblings, and friends make wrong choices. How could you show compassion towards them? - Comparison is harmful rather than uplifting or encouraging. How has comparison impacted your life?
- Share what you could choose to celebrate in someone else’s life that possibly is not easy for you to do.
Check out and Prayer Time: Break up into pairs and pray for one another whether on the night or during the week. Pray that you could become more like Jesus by showing compassion like He does. Listen to each other’s needs and pray throughout the week, checking in to see how each other is doing.
Others:
We are reminded to love justice – this is the heart of God for all of us.
- If you or a life group member has a neighbour, friend, family member that you know of that is in need, try to support that neighbour/friend/family member as a life group if you can. This is a great way of reaching out and showing God’s love in a tangible way.
- With the above in mind, focus on the needs of others rather than your own. You know God will provide for your needs, but an unsaved neighbour/friend/family may not until we help them practically.
Daily Practices to follow:
Memorize Psalm 86:15. Write out the verse or copy and paste it so you can see it regularly throughout the day.
- Read or recite the verse and repeat throughout the day. Set a reminder to pray at different times throughout the day.
Use silence and Worship as part of your daily time with God. We know that God speaks to us in the silence and that worship encourages us and uplifts our soul.
Struggling to encourage those in your group to have a quiet time? Here are some practical tools to share with them.
How to have a Daily Quiet Time by Rick Warren https://pastorrick.com/what-does-a-daily-quiet-time-look-like/
- Quiet Time: Pick a Specific Time
- Quiet Time: Find A Special Place
- Quiet Time: Follow a Simple Plan
Silence: spend 2-5 minutes not only at the beginning of your time with God, but throughout the day, to refocus your heart on God and taking Him into your ‘everyday’.
Journaling: The 7 Benefits of Keeping a Daily Journal by Michael Hyatt (Intentional Leadership) http://michaelhyatt.com/daily-journal.html
Prayer:
- Ask – how may I pray for you?
- Pray for 1 minute at 1pm for your 1 person who is far from God.
- Pray scripture as part of your worship time with God.
