Real Life: Finding Certainty Over Cynicism // Dr. Jeff Warren
Channel: Park Cities Baptist Church
Date: 2023-05-21

SERMON RESPONSE GUIDE
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE: 
PSALM 13 ESV
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
    light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.
KEY POINTS
Unresolved crisis + time = cynicism
The danger of cynicism is it chokes the light out from our eyes and we no longer see the world in color.
The cure for cynicism is rooted in prayer as we continue to:
1) Trust in God’s steadfast love
2) Rejoice in God’s rescue
3) Give thanks for God’s grace
MEMORY VERSE
Ask God to write this word on your heart this week:
“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.”
-Psalm 13:5 ESV

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
Take time to reflect and respond to these questions on your own in the presence of the Holy Spirit, or with trusted friends or family members:

1: How would you define cynicism in a general sense?

How would you define spiritual cynicism?
2: When have you experienced spiritual cynicism in your own life?

What do you think was the cause of that cynicism?
What costs would you associate with that cynicism?
How were you eventually cured from that cynicism? 
3: Where do you specifically see cynicism surfacing in your life these days?

What do you think caused that cynicism?
What is that cynicism costing you in the present?
What might that cynicism cost you in the future?
What can you do to welcome God’s cure for cynicism? 
4: What does it mean to you that God’s love is steadfast?

How have you experienced God’s steadfast love in your life?
5: Where in your life have you experienced God’s rescue recently? 

6: If justice is getting what we deserve, mercy is not getting what we deserve, and grace is getting what we don’t deserve, how can you give God gratitude for the grace God has given to you lately?

7: What is the primary truth God revealed to you today?

How will you respond?
Who do you know who you can encourage with the truth this week?
PRAY
Lord, you know our hearts. You know the weight of our sorrow as we cry out, “How long?” We are hurting, we are confused, and we confess that sometimes you feel distant and silent in this darkness. Teach us to trust in your steadfast love, remind us of your rescue in the past so we can rejoice in hope for your rescue again, open our eyes to see we are surrounded by you and your grace in every breath.