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Series: Restore My Soul
Sermon Title: Restore My Hopeless Soul
Passage: Psalm 23:5-6
SERMON POINTS:
- My future is secure when everything else feels uncertain.
- My future is good even when life feels bad.
- My future is endless and beyond imagination.
5 MINUTE DAILY DIVE QUESTIONS:
Day 1 – Naming the Inner Uncertainty
Primary Question: Where do you feel uncertainty about your future with God right now?
Go Deeper: Sometimes hopelessness surfaces in hidden ways—through control, avoidance, or distraction. What might these patterns reveal about the story your soul is telling you about God?
Scripture to Ponder: Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
Day 2 – Parts That Fear, Parts That Trust
Primary Question: What part of you finds it easy to trust God’s promises, and what part resists?
Go Deeper: If you paused to listen with compassion to the fearful part of your soul, what would it say it’s afraid of losing—and how might God speak to that part?
Scripture to Ponder: Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
Day 3 – Gratitude in Broken Stories
Primary Question: Where in your life story has God’s goodness shown up even in the middle of brokenness?
Go Deeper: How could naming gratitude in the painful parts of your story begin to shift how you see God’s presence there?
Scripture to Ponder: Psalm 107:1 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Day 4 – Mercy for the Unworthy Self
Primary Question: What’s a place in your life where you’ve felt undeserving of God’s mercy?
Go Deeper: How do you usually treat that “unworthy” part of you—with shame, denial, or harshness? What would it look like to bring that part of you to God’s throne of grace instead?
Scripture to Ponder: Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Day 5 – Chased by Relentless Love
Primary Question: What would it feel like to believe God’s goodness and mercy are not passively following you but relentlessly pursuing you?
Go Deeper: Sometimes we resist being “pursued” because we’re afraid of being fully known. What part of your story resists God’s pursuit, and what would it take to let yourself be caught?
Scripture to Ponder: Lamentations 3:22–23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”
Day 6 – Living in Today With Eternity in View
Primary Question: How do you typically hold the tension between the struggles of today and the hope of eternity?
Go Deeper: What parts of you feel stuck in today’s pain, and how could you invite the eternal perspective of God’s love to bring those parts rest?
Scripture to Ponder: Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.”
Day 7 – Becoming a Legacy of Hope
Primary Question: What do you hope your life will leave behind as a testimony of God’s goodness and mercy?
Go Deeper: If someone read your life as a story, what chapter would you want to be remembered for—the one where fear dominated, or the one where love and mercy defined your response? What story do you want to tell now?
Scripture to Ponder: Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
SCRIPTURE TO MEMORIZE:
Psalm 23:1-6 ESV
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:
SERIES RESOURCES:
- BOOK | SOUL KEEPING | JOHN ORTBERG
- BOOK | THE SHEPHERD TRILOGY | PHILLIP KELLER
- BOOK | THE GOOD SHEPHERD | KENNETH BAILEY
- BOOK | PSALMS FOR YOU | CHRISTOPHER ASH
- DEVOTIONAL | THE SONGS OF JESUS | TIMOTHY KELLER
- DEVOTIONAL | PS 23 COVENANT PROMISES
- PODCAST | RESTORING THE SOUL | EP332. AN UNHURRIED LIFE
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Restore My Soul – Week 5: Restore My Hopeless Soul
- When the Future Feels Uncertain
Primary Question: Where in your life right now does the future feel uncertain or unstable?
Follow-Up: How could the Shepherd’s promise of “surely” reframe your sense of security in those places?
Psalm 23:6 – “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
- The Stability of the Shepherd
Primary Question: David speaks with confidence, not speculation, when he says “surely.” What does that word stir in you—comfort, doubt, or longing?
Follow-Up: What past experience reminds you that God has proven Himself steady when life was shaking?
Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
- Goodness in Hard Places
Primary Question: How do you wrestle with believing in God’s goodness when life feels bad?
Follow-Up: What would it look like to practice gratitude for His goodness even in the middle of your hardship?
Psalm 107:1 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
- Mercy That Covers
Primary Question: When you think about God’s mercy, how have you experienced it personally in your life?
Follow-Up: How might you extend that same mercy toward someone who doesn’t “deserve” it?
Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
- Agents of Mercy
Primary Question: Jesus calls us to be merciful as we have received mercy. Where do you see opportunities in your daily life to give mercy?
Follow-Up: What might hold you back from showing mercy—and how can God’s Spirit help you release it?
Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
- Chased by Goodness and Mercy
Primary Question: The Hebrew word for “follow” in Psalm 23:6 means to “pursue relentlessly.” How does it change your view of God to know His goodness and mercy are chasing you down?
Follow-Up: What would it look like to stop running from His pursuit and let yourself be caught by His love?
Lamentations 3:22–23 – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”
- A Future Without End
Primary Question: What comes to mind when you think about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever?
Follow-Up: How does the promise of eternity change the way you see today’s challenges?
Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear… death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.”
- Living with a Legacy of Hope
Primary Question: What do you hope your life leaves behind for others—a legacy of goodness, mercy, or hope?
Follow-Up: How might God be inviting you today to live more intentionally in ways that move His Kingdom forward?
Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
MONTHLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE: Detachment
What Detachment Is…
Forgiveness—and the freedom it brings—is essential for every one of us. We all carry moments of hurt, disappointment, or even deep trauma, and when those wounds remain unaddressed, they often harden into bitterness. Bitterness binds us, either keeping us from forgiving or leaving us stuck in a quiet kind of bondage.
Detachment doesn’t mean we forgive and forget or pretend nothing happened. Instead, it’s the intentional practice of loosening our grip on outcomes we can’t control. As Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety [cares] on him because he cares for you.” Detachment is laying what we care about—our hurts, our hopes, even our deepest desires- at the feet of Jesus, trusting Him to carry the weight and determine the outcome.
This isn’t about coldness or apathy. True detachment is freedom in Christ: the ability to release control and resentment so that forgiveness has room to breathe. St. Ignatius called this posture holy indifference, holding gain and loss, praise and rejection, comfort and discomfort, all with open hands. Detachment clears the clutter of our hearts, making space for love, forgiveness, and freedom to take root.
Daily practices
Week 1: What Detachment Is
Day 1 – Naming What Detachment Really Is
- Scripture: Luke 17:3–4 “If your brother or sister sins against you … you must forgive them.”
- Reflection: Jesus calls us to forgive repeatedly—not because hurt is small, but because His grace is big. Detachment is not ignoring the wound but letting go of the demand to control the outcome.
- Practice: Hold your hands tightly closed for 30 seconds. Imagine the offense or control you’re clinging to. Slowly open your hands, saying: “Jesus, I trust you in this and with this.”
- Prayer: “Lord, free me from being ruled by offense. Teach me to love with an open hand.”
Day 2 – Freedom, Not Apathy
- Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:31 – “For the present form of this world is passing away.”
- Reflection: Detachment is not apathy. It’s the freedom to engage fully in love without being enslaved to results or reactions.
- Practice: Write down one situation you’re gripping tightly (success, recognition, justice). Pray: “God, I release this outcome into Your hands. Help me let go.”
- Prayer: “Father, give me freedom to love without clutching, and peace in trusting Your will.”
Day 3 – Practicing Watchfulness
- Scripture: Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
- Reflection: The Desert Fathers practiced watchfulness (nepsis). Notice your thoughts today. Which ones carry resentment, fear, or control? Don’t condemn them, just notice.
- Practice: Pause three times today. Take a deep breath and silently pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” Let the thought pass without clutching it.
- Prayer: “Lord, help me notice early when bitterness begins to take root.”
Day 4 – Listening to the Protest Within
- Scripture: Psalm 139:23–24
- Reflection: Allison Cook teaches that every part of us has a voice. even anger or fear. Instead of suppressing, we can listen with curiosity and let the Holy Spirit lead us.
- Practice: When you feel resistant to letting go, say: “Anger/fear, I see you. Thank you for trying to protect me. Jesus, lead me instead.”
- Prayer: “Search me, O God. Lead my whole heart into Your way of freedom.”
Day 5 – Compassionate Curiosity
- Scripture: John 8:32 – “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
- Reflection: Dan Allender reminds us: we don’t heal by pretending. Detachment allows us to face reality honestly, without being consumed by it.
- Practice: Journal one sentence naming the truth about a hurt (without minimizing or excusing). Then pray: “Jesus, I entrust this truth to You. Set me free to love.”
- Prayer: “Lord, give me courage to name the truth and release it into Your hands.”
Day 6 – Benevolent Detachment
- Scripture: Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.”
- Reflection: John Eldredge calls this benevolent detachment: “I release everyone and everything to You.” It’s not resentment, but entrusting to God.
- Practice: Before bed, whisper this prayer three times: “Jesus, I release everyone and everything to You.”
- Prayer: “Jesus, I give You the people and outcomes I can’t control. Teach me to rest in Your care.”
Day 7 – A Rule of Life for Freedom
- Scripture: Galatians 5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
- Reflection: Detachment becomes a daily rhythm—a way of walking lightly, not chained to offense. Forgiveness is possible because our hearts are uncluttered.
- Practice: Create one sentence as your daily “rule of life” for detachment (e.g., “Today I will forgive quickly and entrust outcomes to God.”). Repeat it morning and night.
Prayer: “Spirit of God, form me into a person free to love, quick to forgive, and rooted in Your grace.”