Verse of the Week:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3 NKJV)
Chapter 9 Video Links (From Her Green Room):
This week Jodi talks about soul care; taking care of our own souls, taking care of ourselves, so that we can better minister to others. This has been another week where the timing couldn’t be better on what we are reading.
Lately in my life, I have had many thoughts about how I am spending my time and what things in my life are more important than others. I am still doing some soul searching on the subject, but one thing I know for sure; I have to rearrange some priorities. I’m not quite sure how I’m going to do that yet, but by the grace of God, I am.
This jumped off the page at me while I was reading it.
Because neither you nor I are omnipotent or omnipresent, a yes here, always means a no somewhere else, and vice-versa. How we need God’s help to sort out which goes where! It’s been a painfully slow lesson, but I am learning not to rush to yes. My good friend, Pastor Bob Stone once said, "Don’t let others, or even needs, set your priorities. Needs and opportunities are not necessarily true indicators of God’s will."I don’t know about you ladies, but this is something that I need to get better at. The loving, compassionate, caring heart that we ALL have inside of us (I can say that because I know most of you and I know that it’s true) sometimes has a hard time when it comes to determining the difference between what God is asking us to do and what people are asking us to do. Now, I don’t think this means that we should not step in and help when people need us, I think that God calls us to help others and to be there for them. But, I do agree, that we need to figure out what our calling is in life and say No to some things in order to be able to say Yes to what God has called us to do.
Earlier I mentioned Alicia Britt Chole’s wonderful booklet, Ready, Set . . . Rest. In it, she writes, "There is a great deal of difference between saying, ‘I volunteer because there is a need’ and ‘I volunteer because there is a God.’ The greatest gift I can give those whom I need to say ‘no’ to, is being faithful to those whom God calls me to say ‘yes’ to."
Most importantly, we need to find our sanctuary. We need to find our big brown comfy chair and we need to find the time to spend in it. This is one of the things that I need to re-prioritize. Far before this week, it is something that has been tugging at me. In my busy world, I have to have time to spend, just me and Jesus. I need more of that time than I am getting now and the only way I am going to get it, is to say no to something else.
What is it that you need to say no to this week? What is it that you haven’t said yes to yet, that you need to? Are you seeking Jesus in your own portable sanctuary? We may not have a green room to escape to, but we do have the arms of Jesus in our "big brown comfy chairs".
Discussion Questions:
- The three main components of soul-care discussed in this chapter are limits, boundaries, and replenishment. What limits have you set for yourself to keep your soul healthy? What other limits should you set for yourself to have a more cared-for soul? What one next step could you take in that direction?
- Have you ever felt like the “incredible leaning woman”? What are the things that drain you most as you lead others? What are the things about ordinary living that sap your energy and joy?
- What is your own equivalent to Gail’s big brown chair where you meet with Jesus? If you’re not satisfied with how you’re making the “one thing”— being with Him, unhurried and fully attentive to His presence— the center of your life and your source of soul-care, what is the next “one thing” that might move you in that direction?
- Psalm 46: 10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” How is stillness related to knowing God? What is your biggest obstacle to finding times of stillness?
- Is there anything else you want to discuss about this chapter?
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