Discussion Questions
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Describe your feelings about what is said in the lecture about spirituality involving movement and the metaphor of an “ascent” towards God. Do you feel invited to climb the mountain? Do you have a sense of dread or excitement? Explain.
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The concept of ascending in spiritual growth almost feels like the teachings of other religions in that we need to achieve levels rather than maturity in the faith. At the same time I can understand the concept that God is superior and above us and therefore we need to ascend to Him.
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The ascent toward God does not look easy at all. I’ve begun to climb the mountain based on recent events in my life and my family’s. Excited? Yes. Scared? Yes. Dread? No. Jesus said the road to life is narrow and few find it. I am determined to walk that road and find life.
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I feel led and able to make spiritual movements and to be able to make an ascent towards God. Yes. I feel a little of both dread and excitement.
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`I think it means to grow with Him, and strive to do what he wants us to. Yes, i feel like he has invited me to climb the mountain even though doing it may put me though rough times thats when you have to trust Him, and im excited to do that .
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I have a sense of excitement as I begin this course in that I am now worthy to begin my ascent not so I can become above everyone else as I was taught growing up but to ascend in God’s way and in His time and the way He would have me personally do for me.
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Do you genuinely feel a lack of understanding on your part about spiritual things, or do you feel like you have a pretty good understanding already? (It is important to be absolutely honest here.) Are you excited about the possibilities of new discoveries about yourself and God that might forever change your life and take you in directions that you could never have thought possible? Explain.
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I understand some spiritual things. But there is much more I don’t understand. I have always believed in God, but I haven’t always seriously pursued Him. I am tired of being stagnant in my spiritual life. I attend church regularly, pray every day, read scripture most days, but… I feel I am going through the motions and getting nowhere, spiritually speaking. Its time for me to get with it.
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Having been a Christian for 50 years or so, and having come face to face with the depth of my own sinfulness after a major moral failure 30 years ago, with all the ramifications of a long hard season of confession & repentance, involving deep levels of honesty wit God, Myself, My immediate Family, and Church Leaders / Mentors, I think I have a fairly good understanding of my Faith & Spirituality. That said, there are many areras where I still find new and fresh perspectives, and expect that will always be the case, especially as I interact with increasing numbers of people who worship in different expressions of the Church. I am moderatley excited about the possibilities and new discoveries etc – but guardedly so as there are area of my life which I have which have been a real struggle for many years, and which I despair of the breakthrough which I need to finally experience real freedom & maturity.
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I don’t know as much as I think I know, but hopefully I know more than people give me credit. I seem to live in a world where if I don’t agree with everything the other person says then I obviously I don’t understand. This makes conversations with others difficult. I think I am one of those individuals who “walk to a different drummer.” If the drummer I am following is God, then I won’t mind being out of step.
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I think for the most part I understand a lot about spiritual things but also know there are depths I don’t know. Hopefully through getting a “bigger picture” approach will teach me more.
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I think I have a pretty good understanding of spiritual things, albeit I know I still have a lot to learn. I have been a bible student for years and the things that have happened to me in my 53 years on this earth have taught me a lot about God and His guiding hand in my life.
I am excited about the possibilities of new discoveries about myself and God. I have always wanted to know my purpose. I’ve also wanted to know how people perceive me, what flaws they see in me. I believe God is showing me the direction I should take to fulfil my purpose. The guidance has not been easy, in most cases, they have been hard and scary. At the same time, the revelations have been exciting and opened my eyes as to how good God is. I am looking forward to the journey for I know great things will come out of it.
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How do you feel about people who have failed you or even sinned against you? Are you open to see how even they are important parts of your story?
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Well I am usually mad, i have really been growing with God here lately, and i have realized that one being mad at them is not going to you or them it will just bring u down. Two, you just need to forgive them and pray for them that whatever is going on. Yes, I have friends that i hope are they are part of my story and that God has put them apart of my life for a reason.
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For the people that have failed me, I don’t hate them but I’m not going to have anything to do with them. Yes, and I have seen how they were important. They showed me who is your real friends and who are not.
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I see how the ones who were judgmental had a great impact on my life as it gave me discipline later in life and gave me roots not to be judgmental but to stick to what I started. The ones who were a bad influence taught me what I never wanted to get back into as I looked back on those experiences, not to look down on them but to pray for them because I wanted them to see where it could lead and help them like God helped me. The one who brought me back to Jesus for sticking with me even though I made it hard on them in the beginning and not giving up on me.
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Every part of your story is important.
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I have made peace with my past and believe that I’m free of resentments. I see that I needed every experience to get me where I am now.
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What sort of people has God placed in your life? Make word sketches of both the good and the bad characteristics.
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God placed in my younger life people who were hypocritical of others and they looked down on others less fortunate or beneath them and taught me to do the same even though we were poor but went to a church that taught us at least we did not act the way they did and drank and cursed and various other things and that we were not hypocrites and God placed alcoholics, people who cheated on me and beat me and got me into drugs and various other things as I ran from God. I went in the totally opposite direction of what I had been taught and was looked down on in my family and in a way that made me feel better. I ran from God only to find out that I ran right back into Him because God placed someone in my path who taught me about Jesus, the real Jesus who did not look down on me. I am truly grateful for that.
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I love everyone who is a part of my life but I don’t do life mapping for personal reasons.
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A woman with a heart of gold and deep love of God, but who has many eccentricities and crazy beliefs.
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Consistently, I have a competent ’empress’ who felt ‘threatened’ and out to ‘remove’ me. I had always to say this to my boss, ‘Can you please let them know i am not here to steal their father, husband or brother? I am here simply to serve the Lord.” I stayed and served faithfully,
Well, this year, it ‘s the “competent emperors” who has “successfully” by their vested power removed me.
They are good people, but somehow hasn’t got to receive their security and significance from the Lord Himself.