Peace of Mind: Ask a Counselor
October 13, 2024
Description:
In a political season where our country and culture is choosing to fight a fight with one another, we are choosing to fight fear, fight anxiety, and fight the mental health battle at war in so many of us. We are going to fight against the myths of embarrassment when it comes to mental health battles and receiving help. Together, we will fight to find peace that God can provide.
So whether you are trying to move forward after loss or uneasiness about the future, if you don’t understand what you are feeling, hope seems far away. In our new series, Peace of Mind, we go to God’s word and learn how to fight our mental battles and find peace together. This week, take a Biblical look at what we must do when struggling with negative thoughts.
*Please note, if there are severe mental health concerns for you or a loved one that include severe depression and suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to receive immediate help and support. Then, reach out to [email protected] for pastoral care.
In light of this week’s message, we encourage you to consider these questions and dig in a little deeper with your personal study, with your family, or with your small group.
Small Group Study Guide: Balancing Sacrificial Love and Self-Care
Introduction This week’s study explores the balance between caring for others and ensuring you maintain your own well-being. We will reflect on the tension between loving sacrificially and self-care, discuss practical ways to foster healthier relationships, and examine areas of life that may signal we’re becoming emotionally or spiritually unhealthy.
Icebreaker
- Share a time when you felt drained from helping others. How did it affect your emotional and physical health?
- When do you feel most energized—when serving others or taking time for yourself?
Scripture Readings
- Mark 12:30-31
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” - Hebrews 3:13
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” - 2 Corinthians 13:5
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” - James 1:19
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Discussion Questions
The Balance of Loving Others and Yourself
- Jesus commands us to love others as we love ourselves. What does it mean to “love yourself” in a healthy, God-honoring way?
- Have you ever felt guilty for taking time for self-care? How did that experience affect your ability to love and serve others?
- Practical Self-Care
- What are some activities you do or would like to start simply because they make you healthier spiritually, mentally, or physically?
- Why is it essential to have a “full cup” before pouring into others?
- Strengthening Relationships
- Based on Hebrews 3:13, why is daily encouragement so important in our relationships?
- Share a time when expressing gratitude improved a relationship. How can you incorporate more daily encouragement in your relationships (e.g., with a spouse, kids, friends)?
- Monitoring for Unhealthiness
- We often don’t realize when we’re drifting into unhealthy patterns. Using 2 Corinthians 13:5 as a guide, how can we regularly “test” ourselves?
- How are you spending your time, money, and energy? What do those things reveal about your priorities?
- What warning signs in your life might indicate you’re becoming mentally or emotionally unhealthy (e.g., irritability, resentment, exhaustion)?
- Managing Anger and Frustration with Family
- James 1:19 speaks to the importance of being “slow to anger.” Reflect on a time when frustration with family led to unhelpful words or actions. How can you “slow down” in those moments?
- How can reframing frustrating traits in your kids or spouse as strengths that need management (e.g., “stubbornness” as “determination”) change your perspective?
Application Challenge
- Self-Care Audit
Take some time this week to ask yourself:
- What am I doing simply because it makes me healthy—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically?
Write down at least one thing and commit to making space for it in your routine.
- Express Gratitude
Commit this week to express one specific, genuine gratitude or appreciation to someone each day. Start with your family and close friends, and see how it impacts your relationships. - Behavior Reframing
If you have children (or someone in your life who frustrates you), write down their top three frustrating behaviors. Then on the other side of the note card, write how each behavior represents a potential strength that is being mismanaged.
Closing Prayer
“Lord, thank you for teaching us the importance of loving others while also caring for ourselves. Help us to find the balance between serving sacrificially and maintaining our health so that we can love well. Show us the areas of our lives that need attention, and give us wisdom to prioritize self-care without guilt. Guide us in strengthening our relationships through daily encouragement and thankfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”