“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” PROVERBS 14:8 NIV
What is God calling me to this new year?
God invites me to give thought to my practices
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
1 CORINTHIANS 9:24-27 NIV
Our bodies are the center point of our relationship to God.
“Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” MATTHEW 5:19 NIV
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
MATTHEW 7:24 NIV
A spiritual practice is any practice that opens me up to the power and presence of God.
Our practices give shape to our hearts
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” PROVERBS 4:23 NIV
What I practice determines the kind of person I become.
How can I begin?
The love of Jesus has freed us to practice, not forced us to perform
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” JOHN 15:9-11 NIV
- Practice embraces balance
- Practice embraces you & your life
- Practice embraces your greatest need
- Practice embraces repetition
My Notes
Personal Reflection Guide
Take a few slow deep breaths, releasing any stress you may be carrying at the moment. Take a moment to consider the year ahead, perhaps visualizing it as a calendar laid out in front of you. Invite God to preside over that year: maybe certain months or dates stand out; if they do, calmly ask God’s presence over those particular moments.
Next, examine your current patterns and rhythms, asking God to reveal any new practices you should adopt this coming year. How could this impact your year?
Finally, thank God for creating a world of natural rhythms, and ask him to help you connect with him on an ever-increasing level in the coming year.
Discussion Questions
- Personal Reflection: Begin group time with the Personal Reflection Guide. Journal any reflections in the space below, sharing with the group what God brought up, if you feel comfortable.
- Real with Self: In what parts of your life have you been so fixated on the destination that you’ve missed the journey?
- Real with Self: As you consider the type of person you want to become, what would it look like to start each morning by asking God what he would have for you that day?
- Real with God: What does it look like to “guard your heart”? How have you found these practices affect your relationship with God?
- Real with Others: Do we “like” Jesus but find that our calendar is so full that we don’t have time to follow Jesus? What changes could we make to be more intentional about following Jesus, and what benefits might you experience?
- Take Action: What is the hard thing that you are avoiding that may need to be the first shift you make?
