Breaking Ground
What relationships, tasks, or parts of your life do you tend to overthink the most? Why?
The Dig
This Sunday, we continued our series 12 Words, in which we’re using the 12 Step Program as a tool for experiencing Christlike transformation. In particular, we dove into Step 10: “Continue to take personal inventory, & when you are wrong, admit to it” & the word examine.
What stands out to you about this Step? What is it asking us to examine about our lives? How does it help us start making the previous 9 steps a daily part of our lives (as opposed to just one-time actions)?
Next, read Matthew 12:43-45. Here, Jesus tells a brief parable about the need for ongoing, continuous self-examination & spiritual work, as opposed to complacency.
What point is Jesus trying to make with this parable? Why does the person in the story end up in a worse space than he was before?
How does becoming complacent on the other side of doing spiritual work potentially more dangerous than having not started at all? What happens when we become stunted in this sort of work?
How does Step 10 seek to help us overcome this problem of spiritual complacency? How does it help ensure that we don’t stall out or sink back into the same (or worse) issues that made us seek healing in the first place?
Close by reflecting on how to apply this Step in your own life.
How can you build some form of intentional, self-examination & personal inventory to your daily life? How can this help you avoid spiritual complacency & continue to grow in a healthy, gradual way?
How can you build making amends into your daily work of self-examination? How would this help you avoid the pitfalls & character defects that led you to do spiritual work in the first place?
Getting Out of the Hole
In this series, take time each week to reflect upon the Step & Word that we covered in the Sunday sermon. In particular, try practicing the Examen, which Rori laid out on Sunday:
- Become aware of God’s presence with gratitude. Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. Survey yourself for any tension in your body or restless thoughts—anything that could distract you from this moment. Identify them, and hold onto them. Take another deep breath. Now as you release it, allow yourself to release any of the distractions with it. Relax the tensions in your body. If you have any thoughts, acknowledge them, but allow yourself to let go of them and again clear your mind. Continue breathing calmly, concentrating on your breath; allow yourself to follow it and to become conscious of it. Keep your focus on the present moment. As you move into a more relaxed state, turn your mind to the spiritual. Take a moment to acknowledge God’s presence. God is here, God is within you, and God is in everything and everyone around you. God has been with you at your best and at your worst and God has not abandoned you. Give thanks for God’s presence and for anything else you are grateful for in this moment.
- Ask for grace to understand God’s movement in your life. Ask God to guide you through this reflection and ask for openness to whatever insights God might reveal during this exercise.
- Review your day recalling specific moments and your feelings. Keep focusing on your breathing and recall the events of the day. Pay attention to the presence of The Divine in your day. Pay attention to strong emotions you felt. What caused those feelings?
- Reflect on how you responded to those moments and feelings. Take a practical account of what actions you’ve taken, and why you took those actions. Allow yourself to focus on what was happening inside of you, rather than externally. How were you feeling when those events took place? Did your response make you feel closer or further from God? How was God working in you? What is being asked from you? Is there someone that you wronged that you need to apologize to or ask for forgiveness? As you reflect, continue to stay aware of God’s presence.
- Look ahead toward tomorrow. With what spirit do you want to enter tomorrow? Are there any challenges you anticipate having to face? What opportunities will you have to love God and others? Pray that you would be aware of God’s presence and ask for grace to use your reflections from today to be the person you want to be tomorrow.
Additional Resources*
TheBibleProject.com
Breathing Under Water by Richard Rohr
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous by Bill W
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, July 20th: Join us next Sunday as we continue our series 12 Words!* Please see mye3.org for details.