We are in the middle of a study as a church called “Life’s Healing Choices.” Being in charge of small groups, I feel a weight of responsibility in helping to choose what to study next. This particular study has been a long time in the planning stages because it’s part of our launch of a Celebrate Recovery ministry in our church. To be perfectly honest I was somewhat nervous about how this study would be received because who of us wants to deal with our hurts, hang-ups and habits. Fortunately this time when I got nervous, I got serious about praying about my concerns. For the last year a group of us have met to pray over this ministry and study. As the study approached, I found myself taking every opportunity to pray and remind others to pray.
God is doing some amazing things in small groups in answer to our prayers. I have seen people decide to join a small group that I never thought would. I have seen small groups birthed out of people and places that I never would have imagined. I have experienced people sharing from the depths of their pain like I’ve never seen before. And I have seen the lights going on in the minds of individuals as to the source of their problems.
So did I suddenly become a better small group director or is this just such an amazing study that all these wonderful things are happening? Well I for one know that it has nothing to do with me being a better small group director. Many times in the course of this summer I’ve felt overwhelmed with trying to inspire groups and even get the right study materials together. I finally threw up my hands and said, “God, help.” And although this is a great study, I’ve seen other studies that I thought were amazing just not inspire groups.
So to give credit where credit is due, I’m chalking up the success of this study to our feeble, but persistent prayers to an ALMIGHTY GOD. Hopefully the greatest lesson I will take away from this study is that the most important thing I can do as a director of small groups is to meet together on a regular basis with a group of believers to ask for God to intervene on our behalf. Yeah God!
Jan