Discuss: 1) What challenges are you facing now that are helping transform your character to be more like Christ’s? 2) Where do you see God’s hand working in your circumstances? 3) Thank God for the opportunities He gives to become more like Christ. Ask Him to show you His plan as you move through difficult times.
Introduction Peter leads a large group of disciples to an isolated (perhaps secretive) meeting where Jesus will once again give them their marching orders. Then they make their way back to Jerusalem to await the coming Holy Spirit as the movement switches into its...
Introduction After rising from the dead, Jesus appears to His disciples on several occasions. Paul lists the appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. He appeared to many people individually — to His leaders on several occasions and even to a group of disciples numbering...
1) I feel like when I had my kids (and even when I got married), it made my sin more apparent. I thought I had a lot of patience, self-control, strength, joy, etc. — but clearly I did not. God definitely humbled me and is transforming me daily through them.
2) Reflecting back on my life, God’s timing with everything is impeccable. I could see how every challenging moment, He was there. Every disappointment from not getting what I want was actually God giving me something that I needed.
3) Thank you Lord for the challenges — though difficult, I know it is for my good. I desire to continue to be more like you — please continue to shape me and humble me.
I don’t think I am facing any serious challenges. But one recent challenge that I am still in the process of learning is to love the people that I might not like. Jesus told us to love our enemies but in practice, it’s so much harder to do. I feel like before I couldn’t do that at all. Being able to love someone that I don’t like seems impossible. And it did make my life harder because of it. But God put me into those circumstances for a reason. Slowly, I noticed how my feelings changed towards them. It’s not a change overnight, but God transforms my heart day by day so that I love those people. And I also learned to be more patient.
In those moments, I see how God is working in me. I surely could not done that by my own power or strength. Only God can transform my heart and change me from the inside out so I can love and accept others.
Dear God, thank you for the opportunities you have given me to become more like Christ. Help me to come into obedience, guide me, and mold me into the person you want me to become so that my life will be a reflection of you God.
(from Charlie)
I really like today reading. Especially the quote from Evan Almighty. It kinds of give a new spin on how God might answer your prayer and in a way answer my question yesterday regarding “God helps those who helps themselves”. Instead of just putting something in our hands and giving it to us without effort. He creates the opportunity for us to learn and to gain the ability and to practice it. God teaches us to finish instead of just giving us the fish. That’s really great!
My family is dealing with a lot lately and a few months ago I was not handling it well at all. I snapped at people and I was so depressed but lately I have learned to surrender and I’ve asked for wisdom and for God to help me accept and I think that He’s granting those wishes because Teri has commented that I’m so calm now. Also I’ve been asking God to allow me to be useful and in some ways I feel He is granting that prayer too. I find the words to speak to my family to help them deal with the problems we are facing and that makes us all draw closer to God. Slowly we draw closer to and maybe slowly we become more Christ like.
I attribute everything that’s happening, the good and bad to God 🙂 – I just don’t despair the bad so much as God is creating the opportunity to learn patience and to learn wisdom and to find peace in Him which are all things I prayed for.
Lord, my eyes are opened and my heart is fill with love and gratefulness for the wisdom You granted me. I feel You have answered my prayers not as I wished for but I can see Your hands in all things. I have no doubt that without You by my side, I would have given up so many times now. I asked for wisdom and you grant me the opportunity to gain wisdom. I asked You for peace and You show me what true peace is like – the kind that does NOT fail because it is the kind that anchor on You Father. Thank You for Your guidance and day by day I feel closer to You and You are where joy and peace lay!
Christine
1) What challenges are you facing now that are helping transform your character to be more like Christ’s?
One of my challenges that I have is getting along with my mom. I always try to accept her for she is and want to spend quality time with her and every time I do we just seem to always arguing. It’s really bad and it usually gets me worked up and kills my spirit.
2) Where do you see God’s hand working in your circumstances?
I really don’t know but I will continue to pray for my mom. Everything is working out the way it is supposed to. I’m powerless over people, places, and things. I will continue to pray for my moms gambling addiction and behavior, I’m grateful that I still have my mom and will continue to pray that she will be open to allow his Holy Spirit in her life.
3) oh Heavenly Father, I thank you for all your Blessings in my life today. I’m grateful I still have the opportunity to see and spend time with my mom. I pray that you continue to guide me with a forgiving, accepting, understanding, and compassion heart towards my mom and those around me oh lord. May my parents have the opportunity to experience your mercy and grace one day and may they get to know you oh god. Amen 🙏🏻
1) the idea that “surrender” isn’t so much giving up but giving it over to God has really ministered to me this week. I was mentioning how the million-dollar IRS bill has been wearing me down mentally but surrendering this case over to God is starting to teach me to trust in my Father, as Jesus surrendered and trusted our Father at Gethsemane.
2) this is a circumstance that I didn’t see coming but God is allowing for it to happen to teach me faith and surrender.
3) Father I thank you that in your word, in the book of James that I can consider it pure joy that this trial is allowed by you to teach me perseverance and bring me more into maturity and Christ likeness.”
(Brandon)
I believe what is stopping me from transforming my character to be more like Christ is dwelling in the past. I find myself from time to time looking back to the past and wishing there were things I could change. I see God’s hand working by showing me that my decisions that I made in the past were for a reason and there is nothing I can do to change them. I just have to move on. I thank you God for giving me the opportunities to better myself and strengthen my character so that I may become more like Christ. I ask that you show what you have planned for me in my difficult times through lessons that I may understand and learn from.
One challenge that I am currently facing is allocating my time. There are days where I want to just rest and be by myself, when I could also use that time to invest in the lives of others. Figuring out a way to find a balance would help transform my character in a way where I am more sacrificial and intentional with my time.
Currently, I see God working in my circumstances by strengthening certain qualities that I am lacking in. These include being more proactive, being able to problem solve, and prioritze and organize the tasks that I am taking on. I am also continuing to develop more patience and understanding.
Lord, I thank You for the different trials and circumstances that help me become more like You. I pray that through difficult times, I may learn not to grumble but rather use it as an opportunity to grow and seek You. I trust that You are always in control, I pray that Your plan will be revealed through these situations that come my way.
I think a challenge I’m going through right now is navigating my career and finishing out the last year of school. There is still a lot of uncertainty and little clarity which forces me to trust and rely on Christ’s will for my life. I can see how God is using this period in my life to seek God even more and focus on the main focus instead of my earthly goals. Father, thank you for multiple opportunities to follow and trust you. To also be molded and shaped more into your image. Help me persevere through trials and continue to run the race.
1. Struggle of acceptance, I am finding it hard to accept what I can’t do and thing I can do. Like trying when you are struggling to finish a project you had to do but didn’t do because you were procrastinating realizing that you should’ve done it before.
2. God gives me community. The people around me either bring me up or give me determination to find that acceptance.
3. Dear Heavenly Father, I see hay you do for me everyday. You give me opportunities to find what I need to find and do what k need to do. I also am aware that many times I take those chances for granted . Please persist my mind to be more detailed and determined. Even through tough times I need your assistance to persevere. In Jesus name, amen
~ Daniel Martinez (my phones dead)
1) I think that would involve being patient and forgiving everyone for anything. I have been cultivating my patience, but that is not enough, and I don’t think I am patient in certain situations. Similarly, like patience, it is sometimes hard to forgive because I am just annoyed by something or someone.
2) I see God’s hand working in my journey of studying abroad in the U.S. Looking back and thinking about how I came here is a miracle considering the circumstances at that moment.
3) Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for coming into my life. I am grateful that you rescued me and showed me love even when I was a sinner. I pray that I will become more like Christ throughout my life. I ask that you somehow reveal your plan for me, especially when I am going through difficult times. Thank you for bringing light and peace into my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
1) It feels like lately, God has been pressing on me to develop long-suffering, one of the least desirable fruit of the Spirit. And He is using my wife to keep me in check, learning how to hold my tongue and mind my manners. I found it’s easier to be more patient with other people, than with my wife. And so I thank God for her ro shape and mold me to be more like Christ.
2) Like any other couples, the challenge is to hear and to be heard. I have to learn to slow down on what I say and be more active in listening.
3) Lord, I thank You for my wife. Even though our marriage is difficult, but I trust in Your plan and purpose for our family. Please help me to surrender to Your leading daily as well as the strength to endure it.