Hi friends! We made it to Friday! It has been a loooong week!đ I hope you have something fun planned for this weekend and are able to relax!
So glad you are here and I look forward to discussing this week’s questions with you. Ok, here we go:
Chapter 5: Local Honey
*Do you see your body as “good”? Are there aspects of living in a physical body that frustrate you?
*Hannah writes that “much of our emotional instability is rooted in pride.” Do you agree with this? Why or why not?
*Has this chapter helped you to view your body differently? How might you extend grace toward your body?
Chapter 6: Healing Herbs
*How would you describe the state of your heart right now?
*Do you find that you get trapped by your emotions?
*How does learning that “God is greater than our heart” free us? How does it allow for a greater trust in the Lord while also allowing us to be fully in our feelings as well?
Chapter 7: Vine Ripened
*Compare and contrast the wise person and the fool as described in this chapter.
*Do you get caught up in having to do things “the right way”? See page 124 for a list of examples.
*Why can we rest in the fact that we don’t know it all? Why is it a good thing that we need not rush our knowledge?
Scripture of the Week
Proverbs 1:7
Genesis 1:31
Proverbs 3:5-7
Prayer of the Week
Father God, it’s so easy to get frustrated by our human limitations. Help us to remember that we can rest in the face that we don’t have to be able to do everything, do it right, or know everything immediately. Help us to remember this is all a process and we can trust You to lead us through it. Would You remind us of Your nearness this week? As we go about our days, help us to know You are with us. Thank You for being a good God and for loving us so well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Next Week
*Finish “Humble Roots” by reading Part Three (Chapters 8-11)
Limitations are generally viewed in a negative light. Amusement park rides have signs displaying the height requirements, roads have speed limits (or âspeed suggestionsâ as I like to call them đ), schools have designated passing grades, and driver licenses have an age standard that needs to be met in order to be obtained. The list goes on.
Most of the time, limitations are put in place as a protective measure, but it often still doesnât make them any easier to adhere to or wait for.
As a kid, I had a hard time waiting. For everything. To be taller. To be in middle school, then high school. To get a job. To drive. To get a car. To be an adult. Can I get a do-over so time could go a bit slower, please?! đ
My dad used to say, âDonât wish your life away!â Although my wishing was out of excitement, I realize now it also was partly out of discontentment. Rarely are we content where we are. This is a common, human trait. And discontentment is related to pride because we not only donât like where we find ourselves, but also have a hard time accepting – and believing – we canât change everything weâd like. Embracing our lot, seems weak and foolish; following the rules seems absurd; and submitting to authority seems demeaningâŚall because we let our emotions take over, leaving no room for reason.
It seems ironic that as I have gotten older, I feel I have become more trapped by my emotions. I think this is because not only in the area of faith, as Hannah says, but my life in general, âhas not been given space and time to mature naturally.â (Page 131) When you are so focused on the next thing, you canât really cultivate – or enjoy – the thing youâre currently facing/dealing with.
We have a problem enjoying things as they are. That is why Adam and Eve couldnât leave perfect alone – why they thought they could make it more perfect, be perfect, like God. This shows the state of our human hearts: greedy, curious (in a negative way), and proud.
I would describe the state of my heart right now as unsettled. I feel like Iâve been in a constant state of anxiety – waiting for the other shoe to drop, while also wishing all of lifeâs drama dust would finally settle.
Hearing Hannah say, âGod is greater than our heartâ (Page 104) is comforting. This means no matter how out of control I feel as a result of my circumstances, God is above it and in control – even if I donât understand what (or why something) is going on.
One of the worst things about emotions is how they can go left field so quickly. The âWhat ifsâ start playing in our minds, and all of a sudden, millions of unrealistic scenarios appear out of thin air! We often feel like itâs safer to engage these thoughts so we can be ready for anything (i.e., worst-case scenario), but all it leaves us with is more dissatisfaction since weâre basing the outcomes off of our responses, which we know deep down arenât completely adequate.
The unknown is real – and can be scary. But itâs scary because we want control. We want to know the end before the beginning. And yetâŚwe know The End AND The Beginning: The Omega and The Alpha.
We can rest because although we donât know it all, God does. And because of that, we donât have to try to figure it all out; we donât have to get lost in all the scenarios. We can focus on whatâs in front of us and not get tangled up in obeying âour emotions because the only version of reality that matters is Godâs.â (Page 104)
He is The Truth; His reality is sure and can be trusted. âHe can handle the depth of your emotions. (Page 114) But He doesnât want you to get stuck in them.