Hey hey hey, it’s Friday again! Hope everyone had a wonderful week. I’m excited to discuss this week’s questions with you! Just being reminded of what a wonderful God we have was a great encouragement for my week, and I hope it was for you as well š
Here are this week’s questions:
Part Two: Who Do I Surrender To?
*What step could you take this week to get to know God better (ex: time in the Word, prayer, etc)?
A Great, Good, Trustworthy God
*Laura asserts that we are created to surrender our lives to God – not to a theory or force but to the one true God who is real and has a relationship with us. Do you feel that God can be more of an idea or theory in your life rather than a real experience? How could He become more “real” to you?
*When I see him for who he is and trust his worth, I don’t have to be my own ruler anymore” (pg. 44). How can this thought help you to live with open hands to God?
A God Who Knows
*In your opinion, is it a mercy that God doesn’t let us know everything about our lives ahead of time? Why or why not?
*“I don’t have to work like crazy to make sure the pieces fit. The story is not mine to write. It’s his” (pg. 58). Where are you tempted to pick up the pen and write your own story? Is it freeing to know that you can put the pen down?
A God Who Loves Me
*Laura gives a few examples of how to actively recognize and receive God’s love afresh:
- Show up
- Be with other believers
- Read His promises
- Study His promises
Is there anything you would add to this list? Is there a certain practice or experience in your life that makes God seem “bigger” to you?
*The author says that God’s love is not like our human love especially as shown in His demonstration of love on the cross. Compare and contrast our human love and God’s divine love.
A God who Keeps His Promises
*Throughout this chapter, Laura gives examples found in the Bible of God’s covenant promises. She points out that each of these were initiated by God and that all of His promises are realized for us in Jesus. Does this make you view His faithfulness to you in a different light? How does knowing this create more trust in Him?
*”A promise almost always involves waiting and some degree of anticipation. It’s in the space between “I will” and “I have” that relationships are tested and faith is strengthened” (pg. 86). Has there been a time in your life where you were living in this in-between time? What was that like? Do you feel that it strengthened your faith?
Scripture of the Week
Romans 5:8
Psalm 139:7-10
Galatians 3:29
Prayer for the Week
Father God, You are a good God. You keep Your promises and are faithful to us. You have shown Your love through Your actions and we know that You care for us so very much. Help us to surrender our lives to You and to know You better each day. We can rest our lives in Your hands because we know You – we experience Your love and faithfulness. Thank You for knowing us too- our lives, our fears, our hearts… Thank You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Next Week
*Read Part Three: How Do I Surrender?
Itās very easy to think of God in an ideal or theoretical way rather than through an experiential means. I think this is partly because we canāt see Him so it can feel like Heās more of a mysterious Being, but also because we are only able to think in humanistic terms – thus, our ideas of God are more often than not, wrong.
āThe goal was never performance. The goal was always – in this and every covenant – relationship.ā (Page 83) Human relationships are flawed – even the best ones. So itās hard to imagine experiencing a relationship where weāre not disappointed, frustrated, etc. at some level. That is why itās so important to get to know God on a personal level: so we can see Him for who He truly is because weāll be able to trust Him more and more.
We try to control things (and people) because we donāt trust. We donāt trust because we donāt know the unknown. We donāt know the unknown and therefore we are fearful. But that fear wonāt help us control a situation better – and isnāt from God.
I think itās a mercy God doesnāt let us know the future because we couldnāt handle it – whether itās good or bad news, and because He wants us to learn to trust Him since He knows all things and is in control.
Iām tempted to write my own story in almost every area of my life. Iām fully aware of my Type A personality and have to constantly suppress the urges to take over and get things done my way.
Iām so glad āHis faithfulness doesnāt rely on my faithā (Page 84) – a lot of the time my faith is small, trust is wavering, and control is full speed ahead! š¬
Heās reminding me to keeping showing up so I can better recognize and receive His love for me. He meets me where Iām at. He helps me see that He knows me better than myself and wants me to get to know Him betterā¦.and that helps me open my hands to start trusting Him more.
I think the less I think of God as real (and more as a theoretical idea) the more I make assumptions on His part. “He must be mad at me.” “He must not care.” When He is truly real and experiential I tend to take Him at His Word. I trust His love for me. I trust His character. That’s why it’s so crucial to keep in relationship with Him and why the Enemy knows He needs to keep us from spending time with God and keep us distracted (focused on our circumstances, etc). It’s constant remembrance that He is real and still the same God and that He doesn’t go back on what He says. I tend to go by my feelings and need to get better at standing on truth!