Week 8: Community Support

Opening verse:

Isaiah 40:31 ESV - But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

1 minute pause

Open in prayer

Discussion

We were not meant to walk through our mental and spiritual journey alone. As people in our culture become more isolated, polarized and disconnected from each other, the negative effects on our mental wellness increases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has gone as far as to declare that our country is in an epidemic of loneliness. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says, “Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight – one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled, and more productive lives,”.

The obstacles in connecting

There are many reasons why people don’t join a supportive community group. Often their schedules are already full of activities, so adding another event isn’t possible. For some, there are deep wounds from previous bad experiences being in a small group. And for others who might be more introverted, they may see community connection as unnecessary or unimportant. They may even struggle with social anxiety, which makes it very difficult to feel motivated to connect with others.

Why a healthy community support is important

Being connected in a Christ-centered group of people allows you to be supported while working through challenges, being encouraged when you feel hopeless, and being strengthened when you don’t think you can continue. The Bible says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV.

What a healthy community support group looks like

A healthy small group should be a safe place for you to be honest about what’s going on in your life without feeling condemned. It’s a place where participance comes with a heart of humility, curiosity and desire to heal and grow with one another. The person facilitating probably won’t have all the answers and solutions to what you’re going through, and that’s okay. The purpose of a healthy group isn’t to “fix” one another or solve each other’s problems. It’s to create spaces where the Holy Spirit works through each other to “encourage and build one another up”.

Group questions about community

What has the epidemic of loneliness looked like in your world of family, friends, co-workers or neighbors? What have you noticed about its effects?

What has been most valuable to your mental and spiritual wellness meeting in a small group setting like this?

Read: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV.

What are you hearing from God right now when it comes to community?

What does all of this mean to you? How do you want to respond?