Religion & Spirituality
This morning Barbara Feil provided a powerful way for us to reflect on the past year and to prepare for the new year. She exhorted us to reflect and prepare using four steps: Looking Back, Looking In, Looking Up and Looking Forward. As you discuss these steps please read each passage of Scripture out loud. Looking Back - Deuteronomy 8:1-2 1. These verses remind us that God leads us through our years. Was there a wilderness experience for you in 2019 or was it smooth sailing all the way? In either case, list a couple of events included in your 2019 and share how God has led you. Looking In – Psalm 139:23-24 2. Barb noted that we are often hesitant to ‘look in’ and, as a result, avoid ourselves. We should ask the Lord to “take the flashlight of the Holy Spirit” and show us who we are. Are there places of anxiety, shame, unresolved conflict, putting our own comfort first or taking the easy way out in our lives? This is a time for repentance and confession. If you are comfortable, share any area in which you’re in need of repentance and confession. Note that Barb said praying these two verses daily will gradually yield powerful results! Looking Up – Ephesians 3:14-21 3. These verses teach us that as we kneel before God we can be strengthened with power and Christ can dwell in our hearts through faith. Barb noted that several things can prevent us from feeling worthy of God’s love and power in our lives. She stated the following: believing we need to earn our worth; feeling the need to reach a point of spiritual maturity before we are worthy; believing our worthiness is measured by status, money, and possessions; and believing we are somehow not qualified to be considered worthy. Can you think of other roadblocks to experiencing God’s love and power? What roadblocks have you experienced? Looking Forward – Isaiah 42:9; 43:19 4. What ‘new thing’ do you hope God will do for you in 2020? Instead of New Year’s resolutions, Barb asked us to consider dedicating the coming year to the Lord. Share one way in which you will commit to do this in 2020. What ‘new thing’ will you do for the Lord?