Week 5

Time for Some Soul Searching

John Hansen - 5/10/2026

God invites us to pray the courageous prayer of Psalm 139, asking Him to search our hearts, expose our anxious and offensive ways, and lead us deeper into spiritual growth and alignment with His truth. Through Jesus—the everlasting way—we find both the guidance and salvation we need to walk in freedom, rest, and eternal life.

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"Time For Some Soul Searching 

Connect

If your soul had a theme song this week, what would it be?

Take It In

What does this reveal about who God is?

  1. Read Psalm 139:1-2 and Psalm 139:23-24. What is the difference between God searching you in verse 1 and David asking God to search him in verse 23? Why does that distinction matter?
  2. Read Proverbs 17:3.
    1. What is the difference between God exposing something in you to condemn you versus exposing it to refine you?
    2. Where in your life have you experienced God pressing into something painful, and it turned out to be for your good?
  3. Read Jeremiah 6:16.
    1. What is the purpose of "ancient paths," and why would they matter for us?
    2. Why do you think God connects rest for your soul with walking the right path?

Talk About It

How do we practically apply this?

  1. What is the difference between self-examination and God-examination in your own experience? Where does self-examination tend to fall short for you personally?
  2. Pastor John described walking around with 47 tabs open. Which tabs are draining the most of your mental and spiritual bandwidth right now and what is one step you can take to close those tabs?
  3. What offensive pattern or habit in your life do you think others around you may see more clearly than you do?

Take It Home

What are we doing this week?

  1. Of the four cries David makes in this prayer (Dig into who I am, press into how I think, shine into what I do, and speak into where I go), which one do you most need to make your own right now and what steps will you take to do that?

Activation

Take a moment to pray and ask God to search your heart. This is an important habit for us to have with God. The enemy can be so sneaky and things can bring offense, hurt, and much more into our hearts. Let's take a moment to do that together and if you are willing, share with your group.

Say out loud: 

"God, give me courage and open my heart to you right now to you." 

Pause.

"Search my heart, God. Reveal anything hidden in me."

Pause.

"Help your examination feel like love and not accusation. Give me faith to follow wherever the way everlasting leads." 

As you feel things come to mind, write them down. 

Share & pray together.

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