Session 3 – Small Group Study Guide
Lesson 3 – Know the Heart
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Study Questions
PART I: While it is good that we know details about a person’s life, we are reminded that we want to know what is important to people – what Scripture calls the heart. When others take the time to really know our hearts – our wants, affections, desires – those “conversations are a pleasure, and they are essential if we are to care for, help, and encourage each other well” (24).
- Who is someone in your life that has really taken the time to know your heart – especially during this season (if you can’t think of anyone during this season, how about the past)? What about that person made you feel comfortable and willing to share your heart with them?
- Meditate on Psalm 62:8. God enters our world and shares in our pleasures and pains by lovingly inviting us to pour out hearts before Him with complete honesty. Can you reflect upon a time in which you poured out your heart to God in prayer during this season? How did that encourage you in your walk with God?
- What are the barriers that keep you from asking others the deeper questions about their heart? At the same time, what are the barriers that keep you from being more transparent?
PART II: As God enters our world and invites us to pour out our hearts to Him, we too want to enter into another person’s world by inviting them to speak as we seek to know their heart. Consider the people you identified in “Lesson 2: Move toward Others.” Write their names below and then proceed with the rest of the questions:
| Person #1 | Person #2 |
- In order for us to have access into someone’s heart, we must spend time with them. Welch writes, “We usually give access to these places in more seasoned relationships marked by love” (26). Though we are hoping for relationships built over a longer season of time, and we are limited due to social distancing, can you think of what it would look like for you to spend more time with the 1-2 people you have identified during this season?
- Can you write down a list of questions you can specifically ask those 1-2 people to help better move toward their hearts and not just circumstances in this time of COVID-19?
- The following questions are more for personal reflection and to encourage you to love better. Because of the personal nature of this information, you can be discerning in what you choose to share with your small group / prayer group.
A. During this COVID season, what are some of the GOOD (God’s grace, God’s blessings) things you see in their life, some of the HARD (sufferings and difficulties) things you see them struggling with, and some of the BAD (sinful) things you see in their life?
B. How can you use this information to point them to Christ with compassion, patience and understanding? Why is it important to frame your words with love and hope?
Sharing and Prayer
- Looking back, in what ways were you able to apply what you learned in the previous session this past week?
- Think of the 1-2 people you want to focus on caring for and moving toward during the rest of this small group season. Looking ahead, what are some ways that you would like to continue to apply what you just learned in this session to your own life as you seek to grow in caring for one another during this season of COVID-19?
- Share other prayer requests:
