Welcome to week three of our ‘Life in Season’ study series!
Discussion Questions
1. When we don’t tend to all areas of our faith, we leave ourselves wide open for gaps to develop. It’s in the gaps where we find we are the most vulnerable to sin and temptation. Where in your faith do you think you have gaps that you aren’t ‘minding’?
2. Read through this passage from 2 Peter 1:5-8. “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
3. Adding to our faith the qualities listed above is an ongoing process and one about which we have to be intentional. Which of those qualities do you find to be the most difficult for you? Take some time this week to pray and humbly ask God to reveal to you the gaps that He sees. Recognize it as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with Him as you seek His forgiveness and accept the help He longs to give you.
If you feel comfortable, please share your thoughts here so we can talk about this together.
And thank you so much for meeting me here at the fence today,
I like this illustration for this passage. I truly am in the autumn of life and I’m surprised to be here!! Not quite senior citizen age but I wonder How did I get here so fast? As we age, I’ve become more aware of my need to mind the gaps. Eight years ago I had a brain injury and so I respond to my world so differently. So how do I add goodness? I smile. I’m housebound. I send notes of encouragement. I show interest in others I think. I don’t know. My husband says I do. Add knowledge. I study the Bible and find new things every day. I’ve studied all my life yet so much does God reveal to me, who cannot follow a recipe anymore for I get confused. A lot of my life is spent in confusion. I don’t read social settings correctly. I can’t mingle in a crowd for by the time I clunk over walker in tow and leg dragging, the crowd has dispersed. It’s hard to fit in. So I have to sing hymns, made up songs of praise, and spiritual songs to fill this gap of lack of knowing how to fit in. I don’t feel mutual affection in many groups where I fit in well. But I have God, ice water, a few close friends, but to be brain damaged makes my faith even more important to help me through each day. Prayer, singing and ice water helps me. When I cry for no reason deeply. God is there.
Gwen, first of all let me just tell you how very sorry I am for what you have gone through with your health. But it is so obvious that you have used it to grow closer to your Savior and that He is using you to bless and minister to others. I hope you know that this community here is always a place where you fit in and the best part is that you have it right at your fingertips so you never have to worry about the crowd dispersing. 🙂 We value you and want this to be a place where you know you are always welcome to come just as you are and find encouragement. Thank you for being here and for sharing your heart with us! Love, Vanessa and Heather
Gwen, I read your reply today and it has humbled me so much that I’m not really sure how to respond. It hurts me to think that it’s been hard for you to mingle in a crowd. It’s a good reminder to me to be more sensitive to others. Most of all, I want you to know how precious you are to the Lord.. I know He sees you and is so happy that you continue to study His word and reach out to others to let them know that they are not forgotten.
Vanessa, thank you for your message today. What a good reminder that I needed to “hear”.