Soul Reset
“What Can’t Be Helped with a Nap & a Snack”
1 Kings 19:3-9 CEB
5 He lay down and slept under the solitary broom bush. Then suddenly a messenger tapped him and said to him, “Get up! Eat something!” 6 Elijah opened his eyes and saw flatbread baked on glowing coals and a jar of water right by his head. He ate and drank, and then went back to sleep. 7 The Lord’s messenger returned a second time and tapped him. “Get up!” the messenger said. “Eat something, because you have a difficult road ahead of you.” 8 Elijah got up, ate and drank, and went refreshed by that food for forty days and nights until he arrived at Horeb, God’s mountain. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.The Lord’s word came to him and said, “Why are you here, Elijah?”
Synopsis:
This message focuses on the dangers of overextending ourselves and the physical, mental, and spiritual toll it can take, as seen in both personal experiences and the story of Elijah. It highlights the importance of recognizing our limits, seeking "soul rest and renewal," and relying on God's presence for a reset and guidance. By prioritizing rest and reflection, we can realign our lives with God’s purpose and avoid burnout. The discussion also encourages collaboration with others and regular spiritual practices to strengthen our faith and manage life’s challenges effectively.
1. What are some of your thoughts or reflections from the video and chapter 4 of the Soul Reset book?
2. Take turns reading 1 Kings 19:1-10. What is happening to Elijah in this passage? What happened right before these verses? What happens right after?
3. Discuss the parable of the retired greyhound dog and the rabbit. What about this story resonates with you? What do you think is the moral of the parable?
4. “Success is an illusion if it is not defined by the values of our faith. Success will make you feel overly responsible if it is not grounded in your faith” (page 67). Do you agree with those statements? Why or why not? Have you ever felt “overly responsible” for a success? Tell about that time.
5. Pastor Dotson writes, “Exhaustion and burnout are rampant in church today. Church leaders and pastors are burning out at alarming rates. People are quitting ministries and pulpits because they are exhausted and have lost passion for their work. The truth is that life wears down even the best of us” (page 68). What does it feel like to be exhausted or burned out? How have you seen exhaustion and burnout in your church? at home?
6. Pastor Dotson says that often we reach exhaustion and burnout not because we’ve failed, but because we didn’t manage success well. Do you agree? Why or why not? What are some examples in our world of people who failed because they didn’t manage their success well?
7. Elijah was never out of the care of the almighty God, whether he was winning, running, or hiding. What does it mean to you that you are never out of God’s care—even when you are running on empty?
8. “Trouble is a platform for the display of God’s almighty grace and power in our lives” (page 68). What do you think this means? When have you seen a display of God’s grace and power in a troubled time?
9. Pastor Dotson writes, “We sometimes get so caught up in trying to change the world—transforming the world, a worthy mission—that we keep going and going and going. Pretty soon we are no longer operating under the power of God, and we begin to try to operate out of our own strength” (page 69). What is the difference between operating out of our own strength and operating under the power of God? Have you ever known this to be true in your own life?
10. “If we allow our jobs and activities to work us into an early grave, then they will. God knew about the need to rest” (page 69). What is your understanding of sabbath? Why do you think God created the sabbath?
11. “God’s salvation is for our whole selves: God cares about our bodies, our minds, and our souls. Sabbath rest is a must for a soul reset. It is an essential ingredient for spiritual, emotional, and physical renewal” (page 70). Have you ever considered that God cares about your spiritual, emotional, and physical health? How do you take care of your whole self—what are some of your rituals and routines for healthfulness?
12. Have you experienced a time of feeling completely defeated and depleted, and then, after a good night of rest, gained some perspective and new strength? Tell about that time.
13. Elijah won a battle, then fled for his life, then encountered God’s care, then hid in a cave, waiting for a sign from God. His ups and downs were extreme. God asked Elijah what he was doing there in that cave. What metaphorical caves have you hidden in? Have you ever felt God ask you, “What are you doing here?” What was that conversation with God like?
14. What is the “on-the-balcony” exercise that Pastor Dotson describes at the end of chapter 4? Do you have a similar practice? How does taking a “30,000-foot view” of your life help you avoid the traps of burnout and exhaustion?
Spiritual Practice:
Each week of our soul reset experience; we will learn about a spiritual practice that will help us to seek wholeness. This week, we look at the spiritual practice of sabbath. Sabbath is a gift from God—a gift that gives us permission to rest, to stop, to be restored. It’s not only a gift, it’s also one of the Ten Commandments. Talk about how you can add a sabbath to your week. How will you set the time apart? What will you do? What will you stop doing? How can you create a culture where sabbath rest is welcomed and encouraged at your church, so that exhaustion and burnout are things of the past?
Comments