(partially from SOUL KEEPING by John Ortberg and quotes by George Mueller)
Journey Sharing Group Discussion – 3 pieces of advice DW/other stuff mixed in
#1 From SOUL KEEPING: “Arrange your days so that you experience total contentment, joy and confidence in your everyday life with God” ~DW
I think we all thrill to the beauty of a life like that…totally content, experiencing total joy and complete confidence in simply living day to day in the Lord.
I’ve known women like that… I bet you have too… and I long to become one. But what does it take?
Well, it obviously takes living a life totally absorbed in my relationship with Jesus. It also implies that relationship with Jesus is my source of contentment and joy and confidence, not the state of my ministry or my life…. everything depends on my relationship with the Lord, circumstances become irrelevant.
So what does it take? It takes seeking my sustenance in the VINE not the fruit
Jesus said, I am the VINE you are the branches….Fruit never sustained anybody—whether fruit from my ministry or my personal life.
#2 D. Willard’s response to John O’s request for help in ministry issues:
“This will be a test of your joyful confidence in God”
What an awesome response to trials! Ok, _____this will be a test of your joyful confidence in God, how are you gonna do?
A George Mueller’s advice to ministry-living people of his day affirms this:
“The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to have my soul happy in the Lord. According to my judgement the most important point to be attended to is this: above all things see to it that your souls are happy in the Lord. Other things may press upon you, the Lord’s work may even have urgent claims upon your attention, but I deliberately repeat, it is of supreme and paramount importance that you should seek above all things to have your souls truly happy in God Himself! Day by day seek to make this the most important business of your life. …once I knew not its vast importance, but now after much experience I specially commend this point: the secret of all true effectual service is joy in God, having experiencial fellowship with God Himself.” ― George Mueller
When my soul is happy in the Lord, I’m joyfully confident in HIM
I need to think of all the amazing, mind-blowing reasons I have to be soul-happy in God… just in Who HE is and is to me. If I do, I WILL BE joyfully confident in HIM!!
#3 The most important thing in Life is not your accomplishments, it’s the person you become in the end. ~ DW
When we worry, are self-centered, self-promoting, pity ourselves or are resentful…. we damage our souls. All sin damages our souls which in turn, shapes and effectively warps the person we become.
When we trust, forgive, live free of self-centeredness and we seek humility and love in our relationships, our souls thrive. We’re quick to seek forgiveness for sin, feel a deep sense of well-being and warm conscientiousness with God that washes our souls in Christ-like beauty, shaping the person we are becoming into a reflection of our Lord. We grow into beautiful souls.
To Sum Up this Topic
It is great advise to begin each day by getting our souls happy in the Lord alone. Then intentionally arrange our days toward the goal of experiencing total contentment, joy and confidence in God because we know the only place to seek and find our sustenance is in the VINE, not the fruit.
As difficulties come, we remember all obstacles are tests of our joyful confidence in God.
Always reminding ourselves that it’s not about our accomplishments, it’s about the beauty He fashioning within our souls that matters most… that matter in the end.
Group Journey Sharing:
What are your thoughts? Can you relate? Do you resonate? What has been your experience…..?
Sacred Wanderings 