How often do you feel God's love, as an experiential reality? Elderedge encourages us to pray "Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see the way you are showing me your love. Open my ears to hear your words of love to me." and then watch and listen for His response.
Read more...I want to quote something that Elderedge wrote in the workbook here. "Before we dive into the lessons of this story, allow me to state the obvious: You don't have to be a hunter to glean from stories like this one in the deeper truths, the gifts God is giving. You don't have to drive an old truck, or be a writer, or a father, or have a friend named Anne. While the DETAILS of my stories are particular to my life, the lessons are UNIVERSAL. Just thought it would be good to point that out. Because a very subtle agreement the enemy could try to bring in is, 'Well, that's just John's deal. This doesn't really apply."
James tells us that Elijah was a person, just like us because it would be easy for us to say I could never do that. Have you ever gotten that feeling, that inability to relate to people that you read about in the Bible? Have you bought into the thinking that the people in the Bible are the exceptions?
Elderedge states that this sort of thinking (that stories in the Bible are just exceptions, rather than examples) will cripple our faith, it "cuts off your prayer life at the knees." He says "Why would God give you stories about the power of gidly people praying if your prayers really can't accomplish much? These are examples!" He challenges us to pick something that you really want to see change in (or ask God what He would have you pray about) and pray for several days, even seven times, everytime you pray!
In this section, Elderedge writes about wanting and praying to find one thing, but God gives him another. What disappointments have been dominating your thoughts and life lately? Although you may still have those disappointments, what gifts has God been giving you lately?
Read more...Eldredge talks about the importance of rest. Have you been taking the time that you need to rest and recharge? Do you have a regular time set aside for this? When and how can you make sure that you take an opportunity to rest this week?
Read more...Elderedge says, "God gives us dozens of these encounters every day, these opportunities to be honest about what motivates us. What we do with them is up to us." We may tell ourselves "I'll get to that later." but if we are honest, we know that there really is no "later" with some issues. Take a few moments to ask God to show you what you have been putting off and how to deal with it now.
Read more...Elderedge writes about his Toyota and his desire to avoid even looking under the hood because he knows that what he will find is probably not going to be good. Is there anything that you have been avoiding in your life...something that gives you a similar feeling?
Read more...Take a few moments, if you haven't already, and pray for God to show you any agreements that you might have in your life. Does anything come to mind? Share them and/or how they effect you, if you like.
Read more...This subject can be a little different, even creepy or scary to some. Some of the scriptures Elderedge references includes James 4:7, Acts 16:18 and Luke 4:35. Go back and re-read these if you need to. What is your response to what Eldredge says in this section of his book? Have you ever experienced anything like this in your personal life?
Read more...Eldredge talks about three major "awakingings" - 1) That there is a God, 2) That we have to deal with Him and 3) That Satan exists and we have to deal with him, too. Eldredge asks us to be honest: Have you experienced this third major awakening? Do you factor that into the way that you evaluate yoru daily events? Do you ask your self "what is the fruit of what I am experiencing? What is the effect?"
Read more...In this section, Elderedge tells a somewhat comical story about being unable to find his watch. I love what he wrote along the lines of God not speaking to him at that moment would not be the verdict on how he is doing with God at that moment. "Hearing from God flows out of our relationship." He talks about the many different ways that God can speak to us or answer prayers (contents of a sermon, kind words from a friend, etc.). What are some of the ways that God has spoken to you?
Read more...Eldredge discusses on pages 41-42 an approach to the scriptures that many people take without intimacy. People may come away from time in the Word as frustrated because they got little out of it or even gaining intellectual undestanding, but missing communication with God. Have you ever experienced this in your life?
He then talks about asking God "What would you have me read today?" How does this sound to you? Have you ever tried this? If so, please give a brief testimony on how this approach worked (or didn't work) for you.
How much do you think about joy in your life? Is it essential? Something that you see that God wants for you? That he insists on? Where do you turn for comfort or a little relief? What do you believe about joy?
Read Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 4:7, John 15:11, John 16:24 and John 17:13. What do these scriptures tell you about joy?
Eldredge talks about wholeness and holiness going together. "You can't find the holines you want without deep wholeness. And you can't find the wholeness you want without deep holiness." He quotes Ephesians 1:4, "God chose us to make us whole and holy through his love." What do you think about what Eldredge says in this section of the book?
Thinking of a struggle that you have in your life (we all have struggles). Do you see both brokenness and sin involved within that issue of your life? Do you believe that God wants to truly restore you, to transform you?
In this section, Eldredge discusses starting with asking God simple questions and "trying on" answers if we need to. Have you taken the opportunity to try doing this? If so, what has the Father shown you? Has this changed the way that you talk to Him? How you listen?
In case you don't have the workbook (not necessary for the blog, but it is very good)----Eldredge goes into this a little more on this issue. One thing that I thought was very important is that we should not get frustrated if we do not feel that we hear God speaking to us right away. We might ask how we know that it is God talking to us, rather than our own thoughts. (If you are like me, it is difficult to quiet your own thoughts--My thoughts seem to ramble on and on at times...) His answer to this question is "you will over time." He recommends listening to your own thoughts for a little while so that you are used to them and can then better differentiate. Then, intentionally quiet your own thoughts and "be still" to make room for God to speak to you.
What I thought was particularly important to mention is that we should "test the fruit" of what we hear. "If you embrace the thought as from God, as being true, what is the fruit? Does it bring hope, love, joy, comfort? That sounds like God. Does it bring sorrow or discouragement, or wors, accusation and self-reproach? God is not the accuser - Satan is. SO if you hear condemning things you know that's not from God (Romans 8:1)."
Eldredge talks about being trapped on the porch in a rain storm, frustrated at being unable to tackle all that he wants to accomplish that day. He says that often, the way that we live our lives are atually preventing us from living the life that God would have us live. "All that we are doing and chasing feels so inevitable. But do you like the pace of your life?" Do you think that your life feels "easy" and "light", as in 'my yoke is easy and my burden is light?" How often are you able to truly stop and rest? DOes your current way of life reveal your plan to find life?
In the workbook, Eldredge makes a challenge to ask God "What is the life you want me to live?" Are you willing to make any changes He might ask of you in order to find and live that life? Do you have certian areas of your life that you try to keep "off limits" from God? Areas that you would rather Him not "interfere with?"
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