1. Reimagining Prayer  |  06/01/25

Opening Prayer: Begin by asking God to open your hearts and minds to a deeper understanding of prayer and His presence in your lives.

Key Takeaways:

• Prayer is more about longing for and experiencing God's presence than just talking to Him or asking for things.
• God's constant presence means we can pray anytime, anywhere, as we are.
• Prayer is an invitation to rest in God's love and be real with Him.
• Our prayer life evolves as our relationship with God deepens and as we go through different life experiences.

Discussion Questions:

1.  The sermon described prayer as "longing, thirsting, and gazing" on God.   How does this description compare to your current view of prayer?

2.  Reflect on the image of a child resting with their mother.  How might this metaphor change your approach to prayer?

     a)  Kim shared her personal prayer journey.  How has your own prayer life evolved over time? 

     b)  Share any significant moments or changes.

3.  How comfortable are you with the idea of coming to God "as you are" in prayer? 

     a)  What might be holding you back from being completely real with Him?

4.  Kim talked about "practicing the presence of God.”  What practical steps could you take to be more aware of God's presence throughout your day?

5.  How does the concept of prayer as “rest” resonate with you?  In what areas of your life do you need to experience this rest?

     a)  Discuss the statement: “Shame will keep you from where He wants you to be.”  How might shame be affecting your prayer life or relationship with God?

Practical Applications:

• This week, try to incorporate more “gazing” into your prayer time. Spend a few minutes each day simply being still in God's presence without words.
• Choose one everyday activity (e.g., commuting, doing dishes) and practice being aware of God's presence during that time.
• Write a prayer expressing your honest thoughts and feelings to God, without filtering or trying to use “proper” language.
• Reflect on any areas where shame might be hindering your relationship with God. Bring these to Him in prayer, asking for His perspective.
• Set a reminder on your phone to pause briefly throughout the day and acknowledge God's presence with you.

Closing Prayer: Close by reading aloud together the hymn Nearer, Still Nearer that was shared at the end of the sermon, as a collective prayer of longing for God's presence.

          Nearer, still nearer— close to Thy heart,

          draw me, my Savior, so precious Thou art;

          fold me, O fold me close to Thy breast;

          shelter me safe in that Haven of Rest.

          Nearer, still nearer— nothing I bring,

          naught as an off'ring to Jesus, my King–

          only my sinful, now contrite heart;

          grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.

          Nearer, still nearer— Lord, to be Thine,

          sin with its follies I gladly resign–

          all of its pleasures, pomp and its pride;

          give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.

          Nearer, still nearer— while life shall last,

          till safe in glory my anchor is cast;

          through endless ages, ever to be

          nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee.

Opening Question: Share a time when you prayed for something and God's answer surprised you or was different from what you expected.

Key Takeaways:

• Prayer itself isn't powerful; the God we pray to is powerful.
• God's agenda in prayer is to make us more like Jesus, not just to make us happy or comfortable.
• Prayer transforms us by aligning our will with God's will.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Read Luke 22:39-46.  Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane is a powerful example of surrender to God's will.  Reflect on areas of your life where you're struggling to let go of control.  How might your perspective change if you approached these challenges with Jesus' attitude of "not my will, but yours be done”?

2.  'Prayer isn't powerful. The person we pray to is powerful.'  Do you agree/disagree?  Why?

      a)  How might this perspective change the way you think about prayer?

3.  Reflect on the examples of Paul, Habakkuk, Job, and Gideon.  Which one resonates most with your current life situation and why? 

      a)  How have you experienced prayer as an "antidote" to pride, anger, or fear in your own life?

4.  Read Philippians 4:4-9.  When we bring our concerns to God, His peace guards our hearts and minds.  How might regularly engaging in prayer transform your thought patterns? 

5.  Dave said "Prayer is the antidote to self-centeredness."  In what ways can prayer shift our focus from ourselves to God?

6.  Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.  Often, we pray for God to remove our struggles, but sometimes His answer is to give us strength to endure them.  How might God be using a challenging situation in your life to cultivate humility and dependence on Him? 

     a)  Discuss the statement: "God wants to use those situations to draw you into prayer, into a conversation with Him, so He can do His deep healing work in you."

     b)  How have you previously seen this play out in your life?

7.  Read Galatians 5:16-25.  What are some practical ways we can move from being led by our emotions to being led by God's Spirit through prayer? 

     a)  Which of these qualities do you most need to cultivate in your life right now?  Ask God to develop this fruit in you as you surrender to His transforming work.

Practical Applications:

• This week, commit to spending 10 minutes each day in silent prayer, focusing on listening to God rather than just talking.
• Identify an area in your life where you're struggling to accept God's will.  Write it down and pray daily for God to align your heart with His in this situation.
• Start a prayer journal.  Each day, write down your prayers and any insights or changes you notice in yourself as you pray.
• Partner with someone in the group to pray for each other daily this week, focusing on areas where you each need transformation.

Closing Prayer:  Close the session by praying together, asking God to transform each group member through deeper, more authentic prayer conversations with Him.