Music Discussions

Stressed Out

February 10, 2016

Dynamic Image Main Point of Discussion: Life can be extremely stressful, but in Christ we have the promise of a peace that passes comprehension.

Introducing The Song:
In their song, “Stressed Out,” the two man duo known as 21 Pilots articulate the commonly felt nostalgia for childhood and the ever increasing pressure that adulthood inevitably brings.

The song has been very successful on the Billboard charts, and at the time of this discussion it’s video has over 56 million views.

Joseph (from 21 Pilots) explained to MTV News that ‘Blurryface’ is “a guy that kind of represents all the things that I as an individual – but also everyone around me – am insecure about.”

The Music Video:

The music video can be played for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRviuL6vMY

Song Lyrics:

“Stressed Out”

I wish I found some better sounds no one’s ever heard,
I wish I had a better voice that sang some better words,
I wish I found some chords in an order that is new,
I wish I didn’t have to rhyme every time I sang,

I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink,
But now I’m insecure and I care what people think.

My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think.
My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think.

Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.
Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.

We’re stressed out.

Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young,
How come I’m never able to identify where it’s coming from,
I’d make a candle out of it if I ever found it,
Try to sell it, never sell out of it, I’d probably only sell one,

It’d be to my brother, ’cause we have the same nose,
Same clothes homegrown a stone’s throw from a creek we used to roam,
But it would remind us of when nothing really mattered,
Out of student loans and treehouse homes we all would take the latter.

My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think.
My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think.

Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.
Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.

We used to play pretend, give each other different names,
We would build a rocket ship and then we’d fly it far away,
Used to dream of outer space but now they’re laughing at our face,
Saying, “Wake up, you need to make money.”
Yo.

We used to play pretend, give each other different names,
We would build a rocket ship and then we’d fly it far away,
Used to dream of outer space but now they’re laughing at our face,
Saying, “Wake up, you need to make money.”
Yo.

Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.
Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days,
When our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.

Used to play pretend, used to play pretend, bunny
We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money
Used to play pretend, used to play pretend, bunny
We used to play pretend, wake up, you need the money
We used to play pretend, give each other different names,
We would build a rocket ship and then we’d fly it far away,
Used to dream of outer space but now they’re laughing at our face,
Saying, “Wake up, you need to make money.”
Yo.

Transitional Statement:
There are many reasons why this song is so popular, but one of them is its clever and brutally honest way of describing popular common themes like childhood nostalgia and the pressure of adulthood. And I don’t think there are any of us here that haven’t been stressed out from time to time.

The critical thing here, though, is not the issue of stress, rather it becomes how we deal with the rough patches of life when it seems like we have more than we can handle. Let’s talk about that now.

Divide into Small Groups:
Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format—a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions:

AROUND THE CIRCLE: Before we dive in, everybody take a few minutes and share a favorite childhood memory.

ASK A FEW: Do you think that anyone’s fears shrink as they get older? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: What parts of your childhood could be classified as ‘the good ‘ol days’?

ASK A FEW: Are there certain smells that take you back to those times? If so, what are they?

ASK A FEW: Is the message of making more money one that you agree with? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: What things are stressing you out right now?

ASK A FEW: How do you deal with being stressed out?

Read the following passage from the Bible:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

ASK A FEW: Why does God exhort us to not worry about anything?

ASK A FEW: Is it even possible to never have any worry? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: What is the relationship in this passage between worrying and praying?

ASK A FEW: Do you think that there is a correlation between not being thankful and being stressed out? Why or why not?

ASK A FEW: Have you ever experienced a peace that ‘exceeds anything we can understand’? What were the circumstances surrounding that? (Youth Leader: This would be an excellent place for an illustration from your life, especially if you ever experienced that peace during stressful outward circumstances)

ASK A FEW: What do you think God’s peace is guarding our heart from?

ASK A FEW: Why do we have a hard time in trusting God with the things that stress us out?

AROUND THE CIRCLE: How could seeing ourselves as God’s child help us not be overly nostalgic about our childhood? (i.e.- as God’s child, we can be sure that He will take care of all our needs and we don’t need to worry- just like when we were kids)

Wrap Up:
The idea that we could get to a place in life with no outward pressure is naive, so it is futile to try and control those situations. However, rather than invest our emotional energy is being stressed out, we can channel those efforts into prayer, thankfulness, and seeking God’s will. When we do that, we have the promise of a peace that passes comprehension.

Pass out paper and pens/pencils and have the students make three columns. Label column one: “Things that stress me out,” label column two: “ways that I can pray,” and label column three: “ways that I can be thankful.” Have the students list out the stressors, then think of specific ways they can give those things to God. Lastly, ask them to think of things that they can be thankful for even in the context of externally stressful circumstances.

Close in prayer

Written by Lane Palmer