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Built for This | Week One
OPENING:
What if our setbacks are God’s setup?
- Share about a time when something that felt like a setback ended up setting you up for something greater.
OVERVIEW:
SCRIPTURE:
John 16:33; Nehemiah 1:1–11
Setbacks—whether through disappointment, burnout, failure, or long seasons of waiting—can make us feel stuck or disqualified. But Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 that while trouble is certain, His victory is greater. In Nehemiah’s story, we see how God uses ordinary people and painful moments to begin extraordinary renewal. Nehemiah didn’t start by rebuilding walls. He began by surrendering in prayer, fasting, and mourning. His brokenness positioned him for boldness. Our setbacks, too, can become sacred spaces for growth when we bring them to God with open hands and expectant hearts.
MAIN IDEA:
The Church, and each of us, is built to rise not by avoiding setbacks but by meeting them with surrender and trust in Jesus, who has already overcome the world. Like Nehemiah, we are called to see what’s broken, grieve with God, and depend fully on His presence and power. More specifically, we are built for renewal, not born from effort alone, but from a heart rooted in humility and faith. In the quiet, hidden places of prayer and faithfulness, God prepares us to lead, rebuild, and rise with courage.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- What lies do you tend to believe when you experience setbacks?
- What would it look like to surrender instead of strive in your current season?
- In what ways do you see God preparing you behind the scenes?
CLOSING:
Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to renew your heart and reframe your view of setbacks. Invite Him to build strength in surrender, courage in weakness, and vision in what looks like defeat. Jesus has already overcome—now we rise with Him.