Balanced, Mentally - Balance in a Certain Light (Focus 2 of 4)

Icebreaker question:
Would you rather have an extra hour of sleep or an extra hour of free time each day?

Now that you've answered the icebreaker question, here's another one to think about - this one about orientation. 

See what this Spotlight—and series— is focused on.
Tap on the words "Focus 2" in the image below to read this Spotlight's summary.

Hopefully that's enough to get you going.

Before you start the Worship section, pray together these words about how God provides orientation from Psalm 139 - words that remind us that even when we don't feel perfectly oriented, God knows where we are and has us well in hand.

Lord,
You have searched me,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out
and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Amen.

After the video, reflect on the following questions:

1. What stood out to you in the video?
2. What are some of the reasons people might hesitate to talk about addiction?
3. When you think about churches, do you believe they feel like safe places to admit struggles like addiction? Why or why not?

How Can We Make It Safe to Talk?
As followers of Jesus, we’re called to be a safe place for people to be honest. That doesn’t mean excusing sin, but it does mean creating a culture where confession and help are welcomed—not feared.

As a group, create a short list of 5 key principles for how Christians can talk about addiction in ways that encourage honesty, remove shame, and point toward healing and hope.

None of us are immune to struggle. Whether it’s addiction or something else, we all need spaces where we can be honest, supported, and led toward healing. Let’s ask God to make us those kinds of people.

Feel free to submit a prayer request by filling out the below form.
(If you choose to make your request public, you'll see it display in the Current at the end of the Spotlight along with anyone else who did the same.)

Pray through your requests—together—as a group.

After you've noted the requests in your group, pray about them silently while listening to God, Be In My Head by John Rutter & The Cambridge Singers. (You can then scroll down to follow along with the lyrics in the frame below the video player.)

Let's wrap things up by taking a look at what's Current at Illume.
Tap on the buttons in the frame below to see what’s currently happening at Illume—information on everything from current and upcoming online content to live events and opportunities to serve in the community can all be found here.