You Need the Support of a Small Group

[You Need the Support of a Small Group]( Current Teaching Series [Strategies for Stressful Times]( [Listen to Today's Broadcast]( [You Need the Support of a Small Group]( By Rick Warren — 12/13/2023 [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= “Then he chose twelve of them to be his apostles, so they could be with him.” Mark 3:14 (CEV) If I were to ask you to complete this sentence, “If you want a job done right . . .” you would probably finish it with this: “. . . do it yourself.” But that’s the motto of a perfectionist headed for burnout—because you can’t do every job by yourself. Jesus was human, just like us. And just like us, he was never meant to handle the stress of daily life by himself. Do you know the first thing Jesus did when he started his ministry? He formed a small group. Mark 3:14 says, “Then he chose twelve of them to be his apostles, so they could be with him” (CEV). That was his small group! Jesus gathered a small group before starting his ministry, because he knew God wanted him to do ministry and walk through his hardest days with his friends by his side. If anybody had a right to say, “If you want a job done right, do it yourself,” it was Jesus. He had the power to do anything, yet even he knew the power of having a small group for support. When he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, just before the cross, Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 26:38, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” (NIV). Even Jesus needed people to pray with him. Even Jesus needed the support of a small group when he was in a crisis. So much of our stress is self-imposed. We get uptight when we think it all depends on us—but it doesn’t. God hasn’t called you to be the general manager of the universe, let alone expect you to be able to manage your own life by yourself. You need his direction and strength, and you need the support of a small group. We often don’t accept help from other people because of our insecurity and pride, and so we stay stressed out. But there are people of faith who are willing to help and support you—and people who need your help and support. Humble yourself and admit that you can’t do it on your own. And you don’t have to! God made the church to help you in stressful times. And he will lead you to the people you need if you’ll just let your guard down and trust him to provide. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>]( Talk It Over - Why are vulnerability and humility necessary for biblical community? - How do you know when you’re headed toward burnout? What are the warning signs? - In what ways do you need support from a small group right now? Pray, and ask God to provide for you in those specific areas. The post [You Need the Support of a Small Group]( appeared first on [Pastor Rick's Daily Hope](. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Email](mailto:?subject=I'd%20like%20to%20share%20a%20Daily%20Devotional%20from%20Pastor%20Rick%20with%20you&body= [Get the Daily Hope Prayer Journal when you give a gift to support Daily Hope!]( God uses your generous support to reach people around the world with the hope of Jesus through Daily Hope—and for a limited time, your gift will be doubled thanks to a $100,000 Matching Grant! And we’ll say thanks for your generosity by sending you a powerful tool to give your prayer life a boost in the year ahead—the brand-new Daily Hope Prayer Journal! This year’s theme, Experiencing God’s Peace will help you tap into God’s power and presence as you discover the keys to praying with passion and purpose. Featuring a soft-touch cover and 235 beautifully designed pages, this journal brings you over 150 life-changing Bible verses, stunning photos, and beautiful artwork. You’ll discover how to have a more vibrant prayer life, connect with the Lord, and establish a consistent daily prayer time. [LEARN MORE]( [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)]( Includes 5 full-length message from Pastor Rick's series Strategies for Stressful Times. [LEARN MORE]( [Series Summary]( Message 1: Finding the Strength to Keep Going When I'm Emotionally Worn Out Message 2: How To Be Happy No Matter What Happens Message 3: How to Trust God When You Don't Like the Changes in Your Life Message 4: How to Keep Your Tank Filled Instead of Running on Empty Message 5: Jesus' Secrets of Resilience [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST]( Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Linkedin]( Enjoy today's devotional? Listen to Pastor Rick’s daily audio teaching at [PastorRick.com]( Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.]( Rick Warren is the founding pastor of [Saddleback Church]( one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller [The Purpose Driven Life](. His book [The Purpose Driven Church]( was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created [The PEACE Plan]( to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at [PastorRick.com](. © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe by clicking the link below. Sent to: {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, PO Box 80448, Rancho Santa Margarita, California 92688, United States