Key Idea: My hope in dark valleys is the presence of my Shepherd
I. The Darkness of The Valley (v.4a)
3 Truths for Dark Valleys:
1. God is sovereign over all – including evil and suffering (Eph. 1:11)
2. God does not author evil (1 Jn. 1:5, Ps. 5:4)
3. God is with us when we face evil and suffering (Ps. 23:4)
II. The Presence of The Shepherd (v.4b)
4 Responses in Dark Valleys
1. Weep – knowing that suffering is real (Ps. 13, 88)
2. Pray – knowing God wants you to come to Him (Phil. 4:6, 1 Pet. 5:7)
3. Trust – in God who is unbelievably sovereign and loving (Ps. 56:3, Eph. 3:19)
4. Hope – in God and the eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:16-17, Ro. 8:18)
Small Group Questions
Ice-Breaker
- What has been high and a low from this past month? (something that you enjoyed, something that was difficult)
- What stood out from the message and why? (ex: a verse, illustration, story, quote, sentence, etc.)
Upward (God)
- What is one truth that you learned about God from this message? Why does that matter?
- Which part of Psalm 23:4 do you find most encouraging?
Inward (Reflection)
- If you were to make a list of the top 3 things in your life that often “hurt”/are difficult, what would they be and why? (ex: school, sports, friendships, family, etc.)
- What is one of the most difficult seasons of life you have experienced? How did you feel during that time? What do you think God thinks of your pain?
- Out of the 4 ways to respond in times of dark valleys, which way stood out to you the most and why? Which do you find as most difficult?
Outward (Community + Application)
- Imagine if a friend shared with you about something hard they are dealing with in life, what are 3 examples of “bad/unhelpful” ways to respond? What are 3 examples of “good/helpful” ways to respond?
- What is one way you can think of applying the sermon this week?
Next Steps
- Recite/Read Psalm 23 to 3 people this week (parents, siblings, friends, classmates, teammates, etc.)
- Share with your parents what you learned
- Write down verse 4 on a sticky note and post it somewhere you’ll see it everyday