Sermon Questions

Help! I am Anxious.

We all face internal battles that are hard to talk about. We deal with emotions that make us feel stuck, isolated, or ashamed. In this four-week series, we’re naming the struggles and leaning into truth. Each week, we’ll look at one powerful emotion: anxiety, jealousy, discouragement, and shame. Whatever your problem is, God’s Word has the prescription.

Icebreaker:
  • When you were a kid, what was something that made you anxious or nervous? (Maybe a spelling bee, school presentation, sports, or even sleepovers?)
Tension:
  1. Why do you think anxiety feels so common today—maybe more than ever before?
  2. In your experience, what’s the difference between “normal worry” and anxiety that begins to control your life?
  3. Let’s talk about this quote: “The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional.” – Max Lucado. What does that mean to you personally? Have you ever felt “trapped” by anxiety?
Truth: Read Philippians 4:6-7
  1. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God…”
  2. This verse doesn’t say “don’t feel anxious” but “don’t stay anxious.” What’s the difference, and why does that matter?
  3. Why do you think prayer and thanksgiving are paired together in this verse?
Takeaway: C.A.L.M. Down
  • C – Celebrate God’s goodness (Philippians 4:4, James 1:17) How can praising God help break the cycle of anxious thinking?
  • A – Ask for help (Psalm 121:1–2, Matthew 7:7–8) Is it easy or hard for you to ask God—or others—for help? Why? How does prayer shift your mindset in anxious moments?
  • L – Leave your worries with Him (1 Peter 5:7) What does “casting” your anxiety on God look like practically in daily life? Are there things you’ve said you’ve given to God but keep picking back up?
  • M – Meditate on what’s good & godly (Philippians 4:8) How do your thoughts impact your peace? What helps you refocus your mind when it starts spiraling with “what-ifs”?
Talk About It:

1. What’s one anxious thought or situation you want to surrender to God this week?

2. Which part of the C.A.L.M. acronym do you most need to practice right now?

3. Take time as a group to pray over each other. You can even guide a prayer using the C.A.L.M. structure:

  • Celebrate God’s faithfulness
  • Ask boldly for His help
  • Leave specific worries with Him
  • Pray for minds renewed and anchored in truth
Remember:

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Print Here