The Mentor You Didn’t Ask For

Conversation Starters

• If you could choose any person on earth to be your mentor for a year, who would it be?

• What’s the greatest blessing you ever received that you didn’t ask for?

• You get to build your own mentor — what are the top three characteristics, traits, or experiences you want them to have?

Review

Ask eGroup members to share their favorite points from the sermon, what spoke to them, a phrase or moment from the sermon they related to the most, or questions they have. If members have a hard time recalling the sermon, talk through your notes and share your favorite points.

Make It Personal

• How would you define a mentor? If you could have the perfect mentor to advise you in ONE area of your life, what area would you choose? (e.g., marriage, career, parenthood, dating, education, personal growth, etc.)

• “We live in a day with a lot of advice, but not much authority.” Discuss the differences between the two. Where do you hear a lot of advice? Who can you go to for authority? (How do you see culture choosing advice over authority?)

• Read 2 Corinthians 12:6-10. When you think of a “thorn in your flesh,” what kinds of challenges or situations come to mind? Have you asked God to deal with any thorns you’re facing? (Group members are welcome to share with the group about their thorns if they’d like to.)

• Don’t say God’s “no” for Him. Where in your life are you hesitant to ask God for something? (What keeps us from asking God for things? In other words, why do we sometimes say God’s “no” for Him?)

• Pastor Steven said social media can be like a “thorn store.” What’s your thorn store? (A place or thing you have to be careful with because it can worsen struggles you already have.) How have you picked up thorns from it? (Is there a thorn you’ve overcome? How did that process grow you?)

• Go deeper. God matches your thorn — your “course” — to your calling. How does that challenge or encourage you? Share ways you’ve experienced this statement to be true.

• Read Ephesians 2:4-9. Paul’s thorn was his mentor — God gave it to him to teach him grace, which could be defined as “undeserved favor.” What is your thorn teaching you? How can we use our thorns to learn grace?

Act On It

This week, take your thorn to the throne. Ask God for a breakthrough in removing it. If He gives you a “therefore” instead of a breakthrough, ask Him for the grace to learn from that thorn.

Prayer Requests And Prayer

Ask eGroup members to share any prayer requests they have. Record any notes or prayer requests to pray for members during the week.Father, thank You for the mentors we didn’t ask for. If we’re honest, we would love for You to take away the thorns, but if You won’t remove them, then we ask for You to reveal the lessons in them. We praise You because Your grace is sufficient, whether we’re fighting a giant or suffering from a thorn. In Jesus’ name, amen.