Comments on Chapters 19 to 21 (Part 6- Transforming My Experience)
from John Ortberg's The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You
1. "Your work is a huge part of God's plan for your life, and God intends the Spirit to fill and engerize workplaces. Work that gets done in offices and elsewhere (ie- family, church, community groups, etc)- building up people , creating teams, managing the resources of creation- desperately requires the guidance and energy of the Spirit." page 219. Please comment on that statement.
Also- do you see "work" as a 9 to 5 reality; something you get paid for or do you view "work" as part of the fabric of living.
2. Have you ever thought of work as "spiritual"? Chapter 19 speaks about using our strengths. Do you know your strengths?
3. Can you think of circumstances/situations in life when you have helped other people use their gifts and talents thus helping then get more "in the flow". (see page 222)
4. I love the story at the beginning of chapter 20 where William Zinsser was frustrated with having to write obituaries. He lamented to his editor, "when am I going to get some decent story assignments?" The response-- "nothing you write will ever get read as carefully as what you are righting right now!" Indeed, it was a reminder that we are called to do our very best with what is in front of us. have you ever been in a situation like Zinsser where you spoke out in frustration but. . . what was needed was "your best"!
5. Chapter 20 summarizes the book "Habits of the Heart" by Robert Bellah. It's a classic. Bellah described 3 attitudes toward work:
a. treat it as job to pay bills and make money
b. approach as career
c. approach work as a calling.
where are you right now in your "attitude toward work"? Have you experienced change in attitude over the years? How so?
6. "Any work that has meaning, that can be a blessing to people and to the earth, can be a calling". Do you believe this to be true? If so, have you seen examples of people who demonstrate their work as a "calling" that could be a positive witness for others? Please share examples.
7. page 237-- "People are given more than they can handle all the time!. . .but. . .you will never be place in a situation that God can't handle!" The paragraph surrounding these quotes really grabbed my attention for I hear the cliche all the time- "God will never give me more than I can handle!"
I would just love to hear your reactions to this notion.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Comments on Chapters 15-18 (Part 5- Deepening My Relationships)
Comments on Chapters 15-18 (Part 5- Deepening My Relationships)
from John Ortberg's The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You
1. Chapter 15 speaks about inviting Jesus into our personal "holy of holies"- the space in our soul where no one else has access. Speaking of prayer, can you relate to Ortberg's frustration at not being able to be fully present when praying (ie.- being so easily distracted). Comment on his prayer coach's advice, who said to John, "simply invite Jesus to come with you". An example of this is when John invited Jesus to run with him- his conversation with the Lord started to happen naturally.
2. Invitations are important. What to you think of invitations that begin with "negativity"? See Ortberg's comment on p. 177- "any piece of paper (DAS adds 'email also') that causes distress can be an invitation to prayer, a candidate to be spread out before the Lord." Note also that "mind wanderings" may actually be an invitation to prayer as well. Have you ever seen "mind wandering" as authentic prayer prelude?
3. God uses other people to form people. God is at work in your life through other people if you open up your eyes to take notice. Take the connectedness survey at the end of this chapter (page 193). are there any insights that emerged from taking this survey; ("aha moments" or moments of thanksgiving). I would suggest taking some time to pray about the answers/insights from that survey.
4. One of the great sins of the church is that we often have a hard time being honest about human sin. It's almost as if we have to be 'cleaned up' before we arrive for some reason. Chapter 17 reminds us of the need to be 'human' and that sometimes the change we need in life will involve genuine confession of our flaws. we are often afraid of that because we are afraid of looking bad.
My favorite part of this chapter was the reality that in scripture people were not put on pedestals. Even those we consider 'great' or 'pillars' were painted with flaws. Examples were shown of serious flaws where these pillars took great steps backward in their faith (consider peter denying Jesus or stepping out in the boat) which Ortberg described as the "J curve" (page 200). The step backward is sometimes necessary in order to eventually move forward in our faith. Please comment on the section "recognize the J curve".
Have you experience the J curve in your life?
5. Chapter 18 is a difficult chapter in many ways- or at least it is for me. In this chapter, Ortberg remarks that difficult people in our lives may actually reveal how God can use them to help us become the people God is calling us to be. We may see them as roadblocks, brain drains, depressing and scary, and people who fuel our anger-- but. . ..if we can open our eyes they may teach us a great deal! What do you think of the comments from Ortberg "if God wants to grow some quality in you, he may send you a person who tempts you to behave in just the opposite way. If you need to develop love, then some unlovable people will be your greatest challenge. If you need to develop hope, maintaining it in the face of discouragers will make it strong. If you want to grow in your ability to confront a hard-to-confront intimidateor will give you serious practice." Please comment.
Also- is it humbling to admit that "we personaly may be the difficult person he is sending to shape somebody else"?
from John Ortberg's The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You
1. Chapter 15 speaks about inviting Jesus into our personal "holy of holies"- the space in our soul where no one else has access. Speaking of prayer, can you relate to Ortberg's frustration at not being able to be fully present when praying (ie.- being so easily distracted). Comment on his prayer coach's advice, who said to John, "simply invite Jesus to come with you". An example of this is when John invited Jesus to run with him- his conversation with the Lord started to happen naturally.
2. Invitations are important. What to you think of invitations that begin with "negativity"? See Ortberg's comment on p. 177- "any piece of paper (DAS adds 'email also') that causes distress can be an invitation to prayer, a candidate to be spread out before the Lord." Note also that "mind wanderings" may actually be an invitation to prayer as well. Have you ever seen "mind wandering" as authentic prayer prelude?
3. God uses other people to form people. God is at work in your life through other people if you open up your eyes to take notice. Take the connectedness survey at the end of this chapter (page 193). are there any insights that emerged from taking this survey; ("aha moments" or moments of thanksgiving). I would suggest taking some time to pray about the answers/insights from that survey.
4. One of the great sins of the church is that we often have a hard time being honest about human sin. It's almost as if we have to be 'cleaned up' before we arrive for some reason. Chapter 17 reminds us of the need to be 'human' and that sometimes the change we need in life will involve genuine confession of our flaws. we are often afraid of that because we are afraid of looking bad.
My favorite part of this chapter was the reality that in scripture people were not put on pedestals. Even those we consider 'great' or 'pillars' were painted with flaws. Examples were shown of serious flaws where these pillars took great steps backward in their faith (consider peter denying Jesus or stepping out in the boat) which Ortberg described as the "J curve" (page 200). The step backward is sometimes necessary in order to eventually move forward in our faith. Please comment on the section "recognize the J curve".
Have you experience the J curve in your life?
5. Chapter 18 is a difficult chapter in many ways- or at least it is for me. In this chapter, Ortberg remarks that difficult people in our lives may actually reveal how God can use them to help us become the people God is calling us to be. We may see them as roadblocks, brain drains, depressing and scary, and people who fuel our anger-- but. . ..if we can open our eyes they may teach us a great deal! What do you think of the comments from Ortberg "if God wants to grow some quality in you, he may send you a person who tempts you to behave in just the opposite way. If you need to develop love, then some unlovable people will be your greatest challenge. If you need to develop hope, maintaining it in the face of discouragers will make it strong. If you want to grow in your ability to confront a hard-to-confront intimidateor will give you serious practice." Please comment.
Also- is it humbling to admit that "we personaly may be the difficult person he is sending to shape somebody else"?
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