“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
For I can do all things through Christ, Who gives me strength.” —Philippians 4:12-13 NLT
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” —Psalm 131:1-2 NLT
Put Down the Pacifier
God will
“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” —Psalm 131:1-2 NLT
spiritual
Discussion Questions
What are some of the ways you “pacify” yourself? In other words, what do you do or turn to on hard days or during difficult seasons to help you calm down and feel better?
Based on what we’ve covered so far in this series in Psalm 131, we’ve seen how pride is a pacifier. Looking at Psalm 131 and remembering the examples of King Saul, Absalom, and King David, how do you think pride serves as a pacifier in people’s lives?
How has pride been a pacifier in your own life?
Psalm 131:2 teaches us that God will deny us delights in order to drive our development. What is your initial reaction to this truth?
Name some examples of the above truth playing out in the lives of people in Scripture. Have you expereinced this in your own life? What did you learn as a result?
Warren Wiersbe writes, “To accept God’s will in the losses and gains of life is to experience that inner calm that is so necessary if we are to be mature people.” In what ways does spiritual maturity lead to tranquility in the life of a follower of Jesus?