Read: Acts 16:16-34; Ephesians 3:10-12; Psalm 113

1. Begin by reading Psalm 113 aloud as a group. Spend time in extended prayer lifting up praises to God.
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2. Last week, we talked about how God sometimes closes doors and allows our expectations to go unmet, guiding us towards something better even when it’s hard to see in the moment. Can anyone share a story of how they've be able to reframe the situation or started to notice God’s guidance in closed doors or unmet expectations since our last meeting?
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3. Share a time when a song or a moment of prayer changed your perspective in a difficult situation. What happened?
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4. DISCUSS: “Prayer and praise are not pathways into freedom in Christ. Prayer and praise are declarations of freedom in Christ.”
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5. Paul and Silas prayed and praised not to become free, but because they were already free in Christ. How can we adopt this mindset in our own lives?
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6. Discuss the difference between pursuing Jesus and pursuing open doors. How does this go against our cultural norms? How can we ensure we are doing the former?
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7. In what ways are you escaping to comfort instead of engaging in God’s mission?
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8. In what area of your life do you need to praise despite a closed door?
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9. What open doors are you pursuing instead of Jesus?

Challenge: Watch your inputs and outputs this week. Look at your day to day activities and this week, Choose prayer and worship instead of something we would normally engage in, whether that’s Netflix, shopping, etc and choose to abstain from those activities so you can instead engage with God through these practices.

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