Breaking Ground
What small, everyday decisions are you most indecisive about? Keep it light (picking where to eat, deciding what to watch, etc).
The Dig
This week, we continued our series Shadowboxing by exploring how our shadow self impacts our decision-making.
Are you usually decisive or indecisive when making life decisions? Share a story about when you made a big life decision that highlights this part of you.
What criteria do you use to make major life decisions? If you need help, consider the following criteria:
- What definition of success do you use when making decisions?
- What relationships or responsibilities do you consider?
- Who do you talk with before making major decisions?
Next, read Luke 12:13-21. Reflect on how Jesus’ parable of the rich fool speaks into how our shadow self can negatively impact our decision-making process.
What criteria did the “rich fool” use for making decisions in his life? How did that reveal his shadow self?
What was the outcome of the character letting his shadow self direct his decisions?
How does this parable invite us into an alternative model of decision-making that isn’t directed by our shadow selves? What new criteria does this healthier decision-making model use?
Close by reflecting on your life right now.
Where do you struggle with unhealthy decision-making? NOTE: Unhealthy decision-making can be defined by both indecisiveness & rash/overconfident decision-making.
How does that reveal an aspect of your shadow self? How might Jesus’ parable invite you to shadowbox with this area of your life?
What would a healthier model of decision-making look like on the other side of that shadow work? Again, consider the questions from earlier in the conversation as you reflect:
- What definition of success would you need to adopt to be healthier in your decision-making?
- What relationships or responsibilities would you need to start or stop considering in your decision-making?
- Who should you start talking with before making major decisions in order to be healthier in this area of life?
Getting Out of the Hole
This week, shadowbox with your decision-making processes.
- Reflect: where do you struggle most with making healthy decisions? Why? What internal tapes/narratives are playing out in your head when you make these decisions?
- Meditate on how your decision-making criteria might be playing an unhealthy role in this area of your life. How are you defining success & how is that impacting your decision-making process in this area? Are you taking time to consider critical responsibilities & relationships before making decisions in this area? Are you seeking wisdom or insight from others before making decisions in this area?
- Based upon your reflection, consider one change you could make in your decision-making process beginning this week. Try it out & reflect on how it impacts your experience of making decisions in this area of your life.
Journal, reflect, & pray on how God might be speaking to you through each week’s teaching. Share your experience with your growth group next week!
Additional Resources*
Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger
The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Peter Scazzero
Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas
TheBibleProject.com
Coming Up This Week:*
Sunday, September 11th: Join us next Sunday for the next week of our new series Shadowboxing!
* Please see mye3.org for details.