What is your response to Eldredge's story about the knife that his son brought home? Can you relate to this story?
When you find yourself in a battle and your prayers don't seem to work, what do you typically do? (Do some "detective work" or give in?) What has been the fruit of that?
Eldredge discusses making distinctions between different churches or Christian movements today. (He talkes about a Christian college, saying "They don't get it." How do you feel about this? Do you feel it is right or wrong to make these distinctions and to voice them?
Read more...In this section, Eldredge talks about New Year's resolutions. Do you typically make them? What do you want this coming year to be like for you? Where do you feel God is leading you in this next year?
Read more...Can you relate to this section? (Bringing Christ in to past hurts or wounds?) Ask yourself and ask God, what past events, wounds or choices do you need to invite Him into for healing?
Read more...How important is reflection upon your motives to you in your Christian walk? Has it ever occured to you that there is a motive behind your personality?
Read more...Are you a daydreamer? If so, what do you daydream about? What do you look forward to? Do you love your life? What do you ache for?
Read more...Eldredge talks about his sleep being stolen in this section. Make sure that you are reading this section and not narrowing it to sleep, but to the fact that something is being stolen. Sleep is what is being stolen from him, but it might be something different for each of us. Do you notice that anything is being stolen from your life lately? What might you be surrendering right now through subtle agreements, like his "You're probably going to start waking up at 4:30 a lot. It just comes with getting older."
What is your response to his prayer? What do you think about ending the day asking the Father to restore and renew you, rather than just letting exhaustion, anger or anxiety be the end of your day? He also brings up a lot of spiritual warfare. He points out that God wants us to be intentional, to rise up and fight, not try to ignore it and "fluff up your pillow and go to sleep."
Eldredge urges us to test the words that we hear (in books, in a sermon, etc.) He says that we should ask if it draws us to God, really draw us to Him. We should ask ourselves if it sounds right because it sounds religious or if it truly produces freedom, life, intimacy with God.
Read more...What is your response to this section? Eldredge urges us to take the time to ask God how He thinks we are doing. He also urges that we ask how WE think that WE are doing because we sometimes don't even know what we believe about ourselves.
Read more...Do you typically go to God with troubling relationships? Elderedge mentions in the workbook that there is a difference between godly restraint and passive disengagement when we are dealing with troubling relational issues. What would you say is your typical style and timeline for dealing with conflict, hurts, dismissals, etc? Do you ask "is this the time" when thinking of confronting another person about their issues?
Read more...What comes to your mind as you read this section? Can you relate to Eldredge's speculations about different events in his life - going right to the negative or to worry about what "might" happen? Do you typically speculate in a negative or positive way? Think about what you have been speculating on lately - what fruit does it bear (stop and pray about this). How can you make sure that even your imagination is given over to Christ and that it is being sanctified?
Read more...Do you often ask God about the people that you are worried about, what He would have you do? What guides you as you relate to other people in your life?
Read more...The enemy often tries to sneak in and weigh us down during our struggles. Have you noticed this happening in your life at times? What messages would the enemy have you believe? Eldredge recommeds having a quick repsonse of prayer, recommending something like, "Lord Jesus, please give me eyes to see when I am being attacked. And give me the courage to face it, and deal with it."
Read more...Eldredge talks about being afraid of Scout's death, afraid of the grief that the loss of his dog would bring. Do you feel as though you are afraid of grief, to look at losses in your life? Would you expect God to come for you in your grief? He talks about feeling guilty that he "ought to feel bad" as he began to feel God's grace embrace him and his family still hurting. Have you ever chosen grief and pain over God's comfort and healing before?
Read more...Under what circumstances have you KNOWN that God cares for you, have you felt Him as your Comforter? What do you normally do when you need comfort?
Read more...What did God speak to you through this section, as Eldredge wrote of the passing of his dog, Scout? Have you had any losses recently and have you been able to find God in them? Have you heard God speaking to you through loss in the past?
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