Baggage - Week 7: Pride

Pride is sneaky—it can look like arrogance, but it can also show up as insecurity, defensiveness, or the constant need to prove ourselves. In this message, we explore how pride isn’t just another bag we carry… it’s the reason we refuse to let go of all the others. Discover how true freedom comes through humility and full dependence on God.

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Reading: 1 Samuel 15

Discussion Questions:

  1. A small vulnerability can bring down even the strongest person. What’s one area in your life that could become your “Achilles heel” if left unchecked? (e.g., jealousy, people-pleasing, control, etc.)

  2. Pride can look different for everyone—arrogance, false humility, defensiveness, being overly critical, or even discontent. Which form of pride resonated with you most, and why?

  3. Whether it was your own pride or someone else’s, share a time when pride got in the way of a healthy relationship. What did you learn from that experience?

  4. C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” How can we live this out practically at home, work, or church?

  5. We are called to let go of our baggage one piece at a time. What’s one “bag” you sense God is inviting you to release?

Baggage - Week 6: Insecurity

Insecurity is a heavy burden many of us carry. The insecurity Moses carried shows how insecurity can harm us, but through God’s response we can learn how to overcome insecurity. 

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Reading: Psalm 139

Discussion Questions:

  1. When have you experienced insecurity in your life, and how did it affect your decisions or relationships? Can you relate to either "overcompensating" or "undercompensating" as a way to deal with it?

  2. Moses asked God, "Who am I?" when he was called. Have you ever felt unqualified for something you believed God was calling you to do? How did you respond?

  3. Have you ever caught yourself projecting your own insecurity onto others? What helped you recognize or stop it?

  4. How has comparison played a role in feeding your insecurity? What helps you stop comparing and focus on your unique identity in Christ?

  5. Psalm 139 paints a picture of God’s deep love and intentional design for each of us. What would change in your life if you truly believed that God made you fearfully and wonderfully?

Baggage - Week 5: Possessions

In week 5 of our Baggage series, we unpack the weight of possessions and the lie that “just a little more” will finally make us whole. Discover how to break free from the burden of consumerism by sifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset - and learn how to throw out, buy less and give more. Let go of what doesn’t matter so you can hold on to what truly does.

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Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you see yourself operating more out of a scarcity mindset or an abundance mindset?

  2. Think about a time when buying something made you feel temporarily better. What was the long-term result?

  3. Of the three practical takeaways (Throw Out, Buy Less, Give More), which one do you think would make the biggest difference in your life right now—and why?

  4. Can you share a personal “giving story” that impacted you deeply—or a moment when someone’s generosity toward you changed your perspective?

Baggage - Week 4: Past Hurts

"Unresolved emotional wounds can weigh us down and keep us from living in freedom. In this message, we explore how forgiveness is the key to healing, even when it’s a difficult and ongoing process. Discover how God can transform your scars into a powerful testimony of His grace and restoration."

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  1. Why do you think unresolved emotional hurts have such a lasting impact on our lives, similar to physical injuries? How have you seen this play out in your own life or in others?

  2. Forgiveness is described as a process rather than a one-time event. What are some steps you have taken (or can take) to work through forgiveness? What makes this process difficult?

  3. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation. Why is it important to distinguish between the two? Can you think of a time when reconciliation was possible—or when it wasn’t?

  4. Jesus commands us to pray for those who hurt us (Matthew 5:44). Why do you think this is important? How does praying for those who have wronged us change our hearts?

  5. What baggage from past hurts might you still be carrying? What would it look like for you to surrender the right to punish and begin walking in forgiveness?

Baggage - Week 3: Guilt and Shame

Guilt and shame are some of the heaviest burdens we carry, but God never intended for us to live under their weight. In this message, we explore how guilt says, ‘I did something bad,’ while shame says, ‘I am bad’—and how God’s truth sets us free. No matter what you've done, His grace is greater, and forgiveness is already yours!

Impact Card

  1. In your own words, how would you describe the difference between guilt and shame? Can you think of a time when you felt guilty for something you did, versus a time when you felt shame about who you are?

  2. Adam and Eve covered themselves and hid when they felt shame. What are some modern-day "fig leaves" people use to cover their guilt and shame? How does confession to God and others help bring healing?

  3. The enemy deceived Eve with a lie about God’s goodness. What are some lies you may have believed about yourself or God that have contributed to guilt and shame? How can we replace those lies with God’s truth?

  4. How can we distinguish between healthy conviction that leads to repentance and unhealthy condemnation that leads to shame?

  5. What does it look like to truly live in the freedom of God’s forgiveness? How can we remind ourselves and others of this truth daily?

Baggage - Week 2: Strongholds

A stronghold seals sin in and keeps God out. Strongholds are built slowly over time and can lead us into a lifestyle of sin. Thankfully, we have the power to demolish all strongholds. 

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Reading: 2 Corinthians 10

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is a stronghold? What types of things can be strongholds in your life?

  2. Read 2 Corinthians 10:1-6. What sticks out to you about these verses?

  3. What do you think about the two circles and our life being in the overlap? What do you think of the enemy roaming around in both circles?

  4. Using the 6 steps, how have you seen strongholds built in your life?

  5. What stronghold or bondage has God called you to demolish? How can you go about destroying  it?

Baggage - Week 1 - The Baggage of Life

Baggage weights you down, slows you down, and makes the journey harder. All of us have baggage from life. Thankfully, Jesus knows how to give us the rest we need. 

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Reading: Matthew 11

Discussion Questions:

  1. How much have you traveled? What are some crazy, funny, or interesting stories you have from traveling?

  2. Read Matthew 11. How does everything leading up to verses 28-30 set up the need Jesus had to say he will give them rest?

  3. Do you find yourself resisting claiming your baggage? Why?

  4. Do you find yourself trying to carry all your baggage?

  5. What baggage do you feel like God is asking you to drop?