Session 2 You Might Not Finish This Chapter

Session 2

Christianity is about taking broken people, transforming them, and then using those transformed people to transform the world. It’s always been this way, from the moment when the Holy Spirit came upon the early church in Acts 2.

What holds you back from seeking everything God wants for you and is calling you to? My suspicion is that most Christians settle for less simply because they get busy and distracted with so many other things.

Even things as good as jobs, kids, spouses, church programs, helping others, etc. can take our eyes off of what is most important if we begin to view them and use them in the wrong way.

Question and Answer

1. List the elements in your life that keep you distracted. Include both good things and bad things in this list. As I said before good things can take our attention off of the most important things. But why do these good things end up being distractions?

Once you have identified some of these things, it’s important to evaluate why you got distracted in the first place. Why do these good things end up being distractions? God wants you to be diligent and creative in your job. If you’re married, God wants you to devote time, attention, and love toward your spouse. If you have children, God wants you to invest time into their lives, loving them and teaching them how to function in the world that God created. But if you find yourself so focused on these things that you aren’t enjoying God’s presence in the midst of it, consciously trying to honor God through the way you do these activities and pursuing the things that you know God wants you to pursue, then these things have become distractions.

2. How is it that the good things in your life have come to distract you from what is most important?

3. What would it take to adjust your lifestyle and mentality in order to put the most important things back in their proper place?

It’s incredibly important that we keep our lives in the proper perspective. For one thing, we go to great lengths to avoid thinking about death. We all know that life is fragile, but who wants to think about the end of their life? It’s easy to get people to visualize wealth and success, but nobody wants to acknowledge that they could die today. We also like to live as though we were the center of the universe. Most of us would deny this, but when we examine the way we spend our time and money, it sure looks like we are the kings of our own mini-kingdoms. Our lives are focused on our goals, our desires, and our decisions. We could die at any moment and then we know we aren’t the center of the universe.

Start by reading James 4:13-17. After thinking about this then answer the questions below.

4. Make a few notes on this passage. What is James warning against? What is he calling us to do?

5. If James were to say these words specifically to you in the midst of your current life situation, what do you think he would tell you to avoid? What do you think he would tell you to pursue?

6. What are the sources of stress and anxiety in your life?

7. What can you do to remind yourself of God’s care and your dependence on Him in the midst of these stressful situations?

The Christian life is all about dependence on God. Again, this is something that we’d probably all agree on, but most of our lives look more like demonstrations of our own independence than humble attempts to rely on God in every situation. If this is God’s world, if every moment of your life is a gift from God, and if your life is about God’s kingdom rather than your own, then those realities ought to be reflected in the way you live.

8. How can you structure your life to reflect the fact that your every second is dependent on the grace of God?

Once we are reminded of our proper place in the universe, we can begin to function as God intended for us to function. Our lives will be off base and our priorities will be skewed unless we see ourselves as God sees us. Remember that this world is about God, not us. If we live for anything other than God’s glory, we will end with regrets. I’m reminded of the importance of this every time someone around me dies. It’s actually healthy for us to be exposed to death from time to time. Solomon says this explicitly in Ecclesiastes 7. By remembering that our lives are fragile—that it could all be over at any moment—we’ll find it easier to stay focused on the most important things in life.

9. Describe some people in your life who have died abruptly. What were some of their achievements in life and what were their regrets?

10. If today was the day you died, what would you regret, and why?

11. What can you change about your life today to avoid those regrets?

12. Close your time in this session by praying. You’ve been thinking through some pretty heavy issues, and if you’re seriously thinking about making changes in your life to avoid regrets, you likely have some important changes to make. Remember that this life is all 

Session 1 Stop Praying

One of the most frightening aspects of the Christian life is that we can actually become apathetic about speaking to God! This isn’t about getting bored while talking to an economics professor, an old friend, or even your spouse—we have the privilege of talking to God through prayer, and yet most of us pray regularly without thinking about what we’re doing. I’m convinced that our relationships with God would be absolutely transformed if we all took the simple step of considering who God is. Stop and consider who God is. Now take a few minutes to actually consider who it is you’re talking to.

 QUESTION AND ANSWER
 What do you think would come out of your mouth the moment you first saw God? What would be the first words you would say?

 How has your relationship with God and your prayer life been different as a result of reading chapter 1 and considering God’s glory? If your life hasn’t been different enough, how would you like to see it change?

Solomon has some heavy words for those of us who are quick to rush into God’s presence: Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. (Eccl. 5:1–2)

Describe your prayer life. Do you find yourself talking at God, or do you take time to consider who you are talking to and enjoy being awed by His presence? Why do you think you tend to pray the way you do? Inherent in Solomon’s argument is an incredibly high view of God. If God is exactly like us, then we may not see the need to approach Him with a sense of awe. But if God is who He says He is, then Solomon’s words are especially poignant: Only fools rush into the presence of God.

How often do you stop to consider how great God is and how insignificant you are by comparison? When you do, what leads you to this point? If you never do, why do you think you’ve never done this?

How can you build these times of reflection into your lifestyle? Perhaps you’re convinced at this point. Maybe all you needed was a reminder of God’s greatness, and everything you’ve been reading has re-inspired you to view God in all His glory. Even if that’s the case, you still have many obstacles to overcome—not just now, but on an ongoing basis. It’s all but impossible to escape the incessant distractions in our lives. There are so many things—many of them good things—that keep us from thinking about that which is most important in life. Take some time to think about your specific lifestyle and context. Think about what this sort of awareness of God’s greatness would look like as a part of your daily life.

What things in your life distract you from loving and worshipping God the way He deserves to be loved and worshipped? What can you do to overcome these obstacles? In addition to the obstacles and distractions we all face, there is a more subtle and potent aspect of our lives that would keep us from living in light of God’s absolute greatness. Even if we believe that God is greater than we are, we all have to overcome our tendency to view God as an all-powerful genie.

Which aspects of your priorities, thoughts, and actions declare that you exist for God’s service and glory? 

Which aspects of your life declare that God exists for your benefit and service?

If there are aspects of your life that declare that God exists for your benefit and service, how can you begin to reorder these aspects of your life around the reality of God’s greatness and your dependence on Him? Read Revelation 4 and try to imagine yourself standing where John stood and watching this scene unfold. It may seem fanciful, but John is describing reality. As you place yourself in the midst of Revelation 4, allow yourself to experience all of the surprise and awe that John must have experienced. After you’ve spent some time reading and thinking about this passage, continue below.

Which details in this passage strike you the most? Why? Recalling the scene in Revelation 4 would be a great place to start before you pray. But there are many other things you can do to remind yourself of God’s greatness.

What can you do right now to ensure that you will pause before every prayer to consider the God you are praying to?

Spend some time in prayer. Before you begin speaking, however, put into practice some of the realities you’ve been considering. Take time to picture God on His throne. Consider the angels shouting about His holiness and the twenty-four elders throwing their crowns at His feet as they fall on their faces. After you’ve taken some time to remind yourself of who God is and to enjoy the greatness of His presence, then begin talking to Him. But even then, heed Solomon’s warning, and let your words be few.