Groundhog Day Lessons From God’s Waiting Room The Passage Three Chapters/ Two Years/ Nothing to Show for It Acts 23:12-26:32 Waiting Well Waiting is not time. It’s a part of the journey. • Waiting the of our faith. 1 Peter 1:3-7 • Waiting us for our . 1 Peter 5:6-7/ Genesis 50:20/ Exodus 23:27-30 Remember, God’s will has two parts: a and a . • Rushing the always messes up the . Numbers 9:17-23/ Acts 7:23-36 • Never do the to speed up the . When you’re stuck waiting, focus on what wants to do, not what want to do. • Sometimes God just wants us to . Jeremiah 29:1-14 • Sometimes God wants us to for the future. Luke 2:41-52 • Sometimes God has the same , but a different and . 2 Peter 3:8-9/ Isaiah 55:8-9/ Habakkuk 3:16-19 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Support Our Ministry If you found this message beneficial and you would like to help continue our ministries, we would be grateful for your support. Go to northcoastchurch.com/give ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Weekly Digital Bulletin The Digital Bulletin can be found at myncc.info ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Life Group Study Questions For the week of February 28, 2021 (Questions and Scriptures for further study & discussion) QUICK REVIEW Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything you heard for the first time or something that caught your attention, challenged or confused you? MY STORY We heard this weekend that God wants us to learn to wait well, which is a challenge for many of us because there seem to be less and less things we have to wait for (think fast food and overnight delivery). But there are things that still require us to wait. How many things can you think of that we still commonly have to wait for in our society? Which of the things you thought of is hardest for you to wait for? Standing in line is one of the hardest times of waiting for many people. Prior to the pandemic, can you think of anything you liked doing so much you were willing to wait in line to do it? When we find ourselves struggling in God’s waiting room, we often try to put on a brave face so no one thinks we lack faith or are a complainer. However, being honest with God and with other people is one of the most helpful things we can do. When it comes to being honest with others while you’re stuck waiting or going through a tough time, put a checkmark next to the statement below that best represents how you tend to respond in that situation. For the app, use the “notes” section. • I downplay what I’m feeling. • I overshare with too many people. • I acknowledge what I’m feeling but tend to keep it to myself. • I share appropriately with the important people in my life. • I complain about the situation more than I share how I’m doing. • I have one or two people I share with. • I’m not sure how I feel until I’ve talked to someone about what I’m going through. • Other ________________ DIGGING DEEPER Larry mentioned that when we’re stuck in waiting, we need to focus on what God wants us to do more than what we want Him to do. In Colossians 1:9-14, the Apostle Paul wrote down a prayer for the believers in the church at Colossae in which he first asked for them to understand God’s will and then to live it out in daily life. How might what Paul prayed for impact a person’s attitude and actions when they’re stuck in God’s waiting room? Colossians 1:9-14 New International Version (NIV) 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Which of the things Paul prayed for would you most like others to pray for you to have or experience? One of the challenges of waiting is learning to be honest with God about what we’re feeling, while at the same time not showing a lack of faith in God’s care for us and His plan. Psalm 13 is a very honest expression of David’s struggle with waiting for God to work. What sticks out to you the most about this psalm? Psalm 13 New International Version (NIV) 1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me. Do you think there is a difference between being honest and complaining? If so, what is it? How can we honestly complain to God without it becoming a lack of trust? What do you think impacts people’s willingness to be honest with God? How easy is it for you to be honest with God about what you’re going through? Has your willingness to be honest with God changed over the years? If so, what do you think has caused that change? In this psalm, David balances his honesty at the beginning with praise at the end. How hard do you find it to be both honest with God about what you don’t like and yet still praise Him? TAKING IT HOME Looking back on this week’s sermon and study, what’s most important for you to remember? Do you feel like you’re currently in God’s waiting room in an area of your life? If so, what's most challenging about the waiting for you right now? How might the members of your Life Group be praying for you in this area? PRAYER REQUESTS SERVE YOUR CITY Coming soon! Serve Your City is a three-week, church-wide event in which we will focus on giving, serving and loving our community. Sign-ups start next weekend, March 6-7, on all campuses and online at northcoastcommunityservice.org.