Then here are some questions to discuss:
When you learned that the title of our meeting today was “Learning to say no”, how did you react? Is it easy for you to set your limits? Why?
In your local church (or previous church!), has anyone ever said to you “Since you are single, could you do this or that service?” What did you feel then? And what was your response?
In your experience, are there places in the church, services or ministries, where singles are asked more to serve, and others where we see very little singles in these positions? For what?
Read Luke 10:38-42. From this passage we can understand that sometimes we can do many good things for God, but they are not necessarily THE thing God expected us to do. It is not because there is a need to be filled that God wants me to be the one to fill it. How do you know when it is really God who is asking you to do this or that service in the church?
What about your family? Is it harder to say no to them than to say no to your church? Or at your work: is it easier to set your limits than in other areas of your life? What is more difficult and why?
How do you overcome guilt or fear of rejection when you have to say no to someone? What could you do to become more confident in your decisions?
What are the consequences of always saying yes to others? How is this affecting your mental health, your relationships and even your relationship with God?
Read Matthew 16:24-26. Jesus here speaks of denying ourselves: what do you think that means? How can we reconcile the idea of sacrificing ourselves for others and the idea of being free and taking care of oneself?
Read Matthew 5:37. God asks us to keep our word, to respect our commitments. But sometimes we have to admit that we had too much on our shoulders. How can we step back from our commitments without becoming a person who doesn’t keep their word?
Some prayer points to conclude:
Ask the Holy Spirit for help in learning to say no without feeling guilty.
But also ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to sometimes accept making sacrifices.
… And of course, please pray for Passion374! Thank you!
If God puts it in your heart to donate to Passion374, you can do it online through our secure site (PayPal) or by e-transfer to the address: info@passion374.com. Thank you for your support!