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Group Discussion
Questions for facilitating dynamic discussion
The Speed of Joy
June 28,2025
Week 4: Alone with God
Jeff Griffin
Mark 6:31-32
In our fast-paced world that never slows down, Jesus shows us a better path — a daily rhythm that sparks delight and purpose. Throughout this sermon series we’ve been discovering how to live with vibrant peace. In this final, week we learn about the power of getting away.
If you had to be “put through the fire” by competing on a reality competition show, which one would you want to be chosen for?
1. When was the last time you fully got away from technology and its distractions? Is that appealing to you or stressful?
2. One of the benefits of solitude that Jeff noted in his sermon is that it enables us to see our desires. Read Luke 4:1-9. What are each of the desires Satan tried to call forth in Jesus on this occasion? Notice that Jesus doesn’t shy away, but confronts each temptation head on. How can this be an example for you in your time of solitude?
3. Look at Deuteronomy 4:29. These words were among Moses’ instructions to the Israelites about how they were to live in the Promised Land. How did Moses say the people should seek God if they hoped to find Him? What role does solitude play in making this possible?
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29, NIV)
4. Now read Matthew 26:36-46. Notice the progression of Jesus’ solitude and His prayers. Who does He take with Him to get away to Gethsemane? Who accompanies Him further into the garden? And who is He with beyond that? How many times does Jesus pray and what does He say? What can you take away from this about your own efforts to hear from God and yield your life to His plan?
5. What are your goals for the coming week or month when it comes to seeking solitude?
We can be wary of solitude out of fear that we’ll be confronted by our desires, the reality of who God is, or the direction He wants our life to take. Yet as Jeff pointed out, these are all benefits of solitude. Pray that each member of your group would have courage to follow through on the commitment they made to finding regular time for solitude with God.
“Solitude is the place of the great struggle and the great encounter - the struggle against the compulsions of the false self, and the encounter with the loving God who offers himself as the substance of the new self.” ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart