I had a great brainstorming session tonight which included a Starbuck's lesson on latte's w/ whip. I am branching out!!! I have been a solid "nothing but a mocha frappaccino girl" for ten years. I broke out w/ a peppermint latte! I'm FREE. It was "delish".
As a small group leader I often pray, wonder, worry & contemplate if I am doing enough to facilitate life change. Am I bold enough in speaking Truth? Am I compassionate enough? Do I empathize enough? Am I tough enough? Questions like "if someone openly advertises their sin to the group...do I openly tell them they are being a fool?" OK that is where I pray for compassion. Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect and I will never claim to be. But some times people will justify their sin and really believe it is honest, normal, accepted behavior. Speaking Truth in love is not always pretty, lets face it. It is, however, what we are called to do.
Is it harsh to say "so you just choose to be disobedient?" Well, I have decided to try this approach. If someone is in a real life mess ask them the question "Do you want to be made well? If they say YES..PRAISE GOD! Then tell them to pick up their mat and walk.
To one, that could be discussing their salvation, to another showing them where they are being disobedient in the Word. Someone may need to forgive someone or seek forgiveness.
The great thing about this is 1) It asks a question that really needs to be answered. If they say no, all you can do is pray for them until God softens their heart.
We NEVER go wrong pointing people to Jesus. We never go wrong pointing them to God's Word. As leaders we must live our lives intentionally and show others who Christ is to us. But it is the power of God that will begin a life transformation.
So if you are mentoring someone in a really tough spot....ask them if they want to be made well. Each person's paralysis and how they pick up their mat will be different, but God placed you as a leader to point the WAY, then let HIM do the rest!
3 comments:
This is one of the MANY reasons why I am so blessed to be in your group. You dont let me roll around in my flesh and sin without challenging me to pick up my mat. To do the work it IS going to take to be healed. I've had too many people just sympathize with me and it has kept me from picking up my mat.So I roll around on the floor hating my circumstances and falling into self-pity. That is where you have been just what I needed in a leader. Someone to say "Get up!! Do the work God called you to do DESPITE what you feel, it's all UNTO HIM." Thank you for NOT letting me stay in my sin.
You are a blessing!!
Amanda McEwen
lisa,
this is WONDERFUL. thank you for so clearly stating what i think all of us who have a heart to minister need to hear. i love ALL the scriptures, too. this was an incredibly encouraging post to me. thank you!
love
jess
Change isn't easy. But wasn't the peppermint latte worth it? OK, let me say that there is much more to this then breaking free and going for it and choosing the latté. Maybe it’s about embracing your freedom to fail? You might not have liked it. After all, $4.00 for a coffee you don’t like could really be a bummer. But when we are willing to risk failure that is when we often times see God step in and do only what He can do. There comes that moment when we must speak the truth boldly. We could be risking the relationship. And then just as we step out we see God step in and witness a miracle in their life. I say its worth the risk!
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