REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

“Complaining Is Draining”

ICEBREAKER: When you were a kid what did they make to eat in your house that made you want to throw up or run away?

OUTLINE: The Fruit of Complaining

1. Complaining Produces Faithlessness

2. Complaining Steals You Joy

3. Complaining Makes You Sick

4. Complaining Invalidates Gratitude

5. Complaining Is Contagious

6. Complaining Breeds Disunity

TEXT: Exodus 16:1-5, Numbers 11:1, 14:26-35, Philippians 2:14

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. What is the one thing that you complain about the most?

2. Name one area of your life that you feel like you have been in a holding pattern like the children of Israel circling around in the wilderness for forty years waiting to enter into the Promised Land.

3. In Numbers 11:1 God was incredibly displeased with His people for complaining. It wasn’t murder, adultery, theft but it made God so upset He sent a fire to just consume some in the outskirts of the camp. Why was this so offensive to God?

a. Because complaining is contagious and it would defile others

b. Because God had done so much for them

c. Because God knew it would destroy them

d. _________________________________________

4. Philippians 2:14 says to do everything without complaining and murmuring. That is really hard! Name one thing you would like to be able to ask for help with and not have to listen to people that you live with or work with complain when you ask.

a. The laundry

b. The Dishes

c. The Yard work

d. The Bills

e. The Shopping

f. The Sweeping

g. ______________________________

5. How do you think that complaining steals your joy?

6. How many times a day do you think that you complain?

a. Less than 5 times

b. Less than 10 times

c. Less that 20 times

d. Pray for me I’m not sure but I thinks it is a lot

e. ______________________________________

7. Often when we complain we exaggerate the good memories in the past and also we exaggerate the negative situations in the present. What was the last thing you remember exaggerating about in your life?

8. What are three things you would like to thank God for in your life?