Day 19
Chapter Nineteen: Cultivating Community
Pride Blocks God's grace in our lives, which we must have in order to grow, change, heal and help others. We receive God's grace by humbly admitting that we need it. The Bible says anytime we are prideful, we are living in opposition to God! That is a foolish and dangerous way to live. -Rick Warren
I know that for myself I [use to be] and can be very prideful. Not asking for God's help...thinking that I can do things on my own, figure things out. I find that the situation generally gets worse the harder I attempt to figure things out on my own without God.
Another part of courtesy is not downplaying another person's doubts. Just bewcause you don't fear something doesn't make it an invalid feeling. -Rick Warren
My relationship with my husband suffers for this very reason. Often we are not able to "see" or sympathize with each other's insecurities because we do not feel that way ourselves. This has become a problem on more than one occasion...and something that I need to work on.
Confidentiality does not mean keeping silent while your brother or sister sins. It means that what is shared in your group needs to stay in your group, and the group needs to deal with it, not gossip to others about it.
There is nothing worse in the world than sharing your deepest feelings or personal issues with someone only to learn later that what you had shared has become public knowledge. I have fallen prey to this scenario more times than I care to say...and it never fails to hurt. And only serves to make me trust less. I can quite honestly say that what is told to me, stays with me.
Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.
Verse to Remember: 1 John 3:16 We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers.
Question to Consider: How can I help cultivate todaythe characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
I feel like these chapters are jumping ahead faster than I can establish ideas from the previous chapter. I have yet to join a small group. It is something I will be exploring this Sunday when we go to church. I'll also be finding out if anyone of my friends would like to start a Bible Study group once a month. Once that is established, I will commit to the nine characteristics of biblical fellowship with them. I will commit to those characteristics with my husband, friends and family:
authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, mercy, honesty, humility, courtesy, confidentiality, and frequency.
Pride Blocks God's grace in our lives, which we must have in order to grow, change, heal and help others. We receive God's grace by humbly admitting that we need it. The Bible says anytime we are prideful, we are living in opposition to God! That is a foolish and dangerous way to live. -Rick Warren
I know that for myself I [use to be] and can be very prideful. Not asking for God's help...thinking that I can do things on my own, figure things out. I find that the situation generally gets worse the harder I attempt to figure things out on my own without God.
Another part of courtesy is not downplaying another person's doubts. Just bewcause you don't fear something doesn't make it an invalid feeling. -Rick Warren
My relationship with my husband suffers for this very reason. Often we are not able to "see" or sympathize with each other's insecurities because we do not feel that way ourselves. This has become a problem on more than one occasion...and something that I need to work on.
Confidentiality does not mean keeping silent while your brother or sister sins. It means that what is shared in your group needs to stay in your group, and the group needs to deal with it, not gossip to others about it.
There is nothing worse in the world than sharing your deepest feelings or personal issues with someone only to learn later that what you had shared has become public knowledge. I have fallen prey to this scenario more times than I care to say...and it never fails to hurt. And only serves to make me trust less. I can quite honestly say that what is told to me, stays with me.
Point to Ponder: Community requires commitment.
Verse to Remember: 1 John 3:16 We understand what love is when we realize that Christ gave his life for us. That means we must give our lives for other believers.
Question to Consider: How can I help cultivate todaythe characteristics of real community in my small group and my church?
I feel like these chapters are jumping ahead faster than I can establish ideas from the previous chapter. I have yet to join a small group. It is something I will be exploring this Sunday when we go to church. I'll also be finding out if anyone of my friends would like to start a Bible Study group once a month. Once that is established, I will commit to the nine characteristics of biblical fellowship with them. I will commit to those characteristics with my husband, friends and family:
authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, mercy, honesty, humility, courtesy, confidentiality, and frequency.
posted by Kassi Gilbert | 8:48 PM
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