Table Talk | June 20 & 21st
Growth Group Guide: Waiting Well and Not Outpacing Your Growth
Week 1: Our Place, Not Our Punishment
OPENING PRAYER & ICEBREAKER
Icebreaker Question: Share a time when waiting felt like torture. Maybe at the DMV, in traffic, or waiting for test results. What made it so difficult?
SERMON RECAP
This week, Pastor Todd introduced a new series on biblical waiting. Key points included:
- Waiting is our place as creatures dependent on a Creator, not punishment
- Three aspects of waiting: time (pause/delay), attitude (expectation), and location (staying put)
- Hurrying is the opposite of waiting and is incompatible with love
- God's timing often brings something categorically different and better than what we originally wanted
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Understanding Waiting
Of the three aspects of waiting (time, attitude, location), which one is hardest for you personally? Why?
Pastor Todd mentioned that "hurry and love are incompatible." How have you seen this play out in your own life? When has being in a hurry prevented you from loving God or others well?
Read Psalm 130:5-6 together. What does it mean to wait for the Lord "more than watchmen wait for the morning"? What kind of anticipation does this describe?
Cultural Pressures
Our culture offers countless ways to eliminate waiting (mobile ordering, self-checkout, telehealth, even TaskRabbit). How have these conveniences shaped your expectations in other areas of life, including your relationship with God?
Pastor Todd said, "If you had less on your plate, you'd find new things to do to fill it up." Do you agree? What drives us to constantly fill our schedules?
Personal Reflection
Share about a time when God didn't give you what you wanted in your timeline, but later you realized His timing was better. What did you learn about God through that experience?
How does believing that "God is sovereign and purposeful over every area of your life" change the way you approach daily interruptions and delays?
Spiritual Growth
Read Galatians 5:22-23. Patience (long-suffering) is listed as fruit of the Spirit, not something we manufacture ourselves. What's the difference between trying harder to be patient versus surrendering to the Spirit's leadership?
Pastor Todd mentioned his experience sitting with his kids during potty training, viewing it as "wasted time." Can you think of current "waiting moments" in your life that God might want you to view differently?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Have group members share which of these resonated most with them:
- Waiting is our place, not our punishment – It's the natural posture of creatures dependent on their Creator
- Waiting involves time, attitude, and location – Biblical waiting is active, expectant, and obedient
- Hurry and love cannot coexist – We cannot love God fully or love others well when we're constantly rushing
- God's delays often lead to better outcomes – His timing brings what's categorically different and better than our agenda
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
This Week's Challenge:
Choose at least ONE of these practices to implement this week:
- Pick the longest checkout line at the store and practice being present without checking your phone
- Set aside 10 minutes daily to sit quietly and wait on God without an agenda
- When interrupted or delayed, pause and ask, "God, what do You want me to learn here?"
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL:
- Identify one area where you're rushing God and commit to pray, "Your timing, not mine" daily
- Fast from one convenience (mobile ordering, self-checkout, etc.) for a week and notice what you learn
- Read one chapter from "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry" by John Mark Comer
ADVANCED LEVEL:
- Journal about a current situation where you're waiting on God. Write honestly about your frustrations, then write a prayer of surrender
- Identify someone in your life whose needs aren't on your timeline and intentionally slow down to serve them
- Practice Sabbath rest. A full day of ceasing from productivity and hurry
Accountability:
- Share with the group which practice you're committing to
- Exchange contact info with at least one person to check in mid-week
- Come prepared next week to share what you learned
CLOSING REFLECTION
Read together: Isaiah 26:8 "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts."
Silent Reflection: Spend 2-3 minutes in silence asking the Holy Spirit:
- Where am I most resistant to waiting right now?
- What am I afraid of losing if I slow down?
- What do You want to teach me in this season of waiting?
Closing Prayer
Pray together, asking the Holy Spirit to:
- Transform your "want-tos" regarding waiting
- Help you see delays as divine appointments rather than interruptions
- Develop confidence that God is sovereign over every area of your life
- Make you a person who exhibits patience as fruit of the Spirit