GRIEVOUS WAYS
Step 1 | Quiet Your Heart
Take three deep breaths, breathing in the Spirit of Truth that speaks and guides you to what is true—that you are poor and needy and so incredibly rich in Jesus. Breathe out any fear or anxiety, or arrogance that would keep you from receiving what you need most—God’s exhaustive and freeing knowledge of you—preparing yourself to be guided to all truth of Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Step 2 | Read & Ask
Read Psalm 139:11-12, 17-24
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and bring to your memory “any grievous way in me.” Ask the Helper the following questions:
For what/who am I least grateful, or what/who drained me?
Where did I miss God’s nearness?
When was I dismissive of the Spirit’s leading?
Where was I least like Jesus (humble, honest, courageous, compassionate, generous, hospitable, forgiving, self-giving, dependent) in my actions and attitudes when relating to God, interacting with others, or assessing myself?
Step 3 | Remember
Paul reminds us that,
“…while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly…[for] God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6,8)
Remembering God’s grace that we live in, we can look forward to tomorrow and prayerfully ask the Father for his work through Jesus to become complete in us as we are led “with awe and with trembling, to do the service of our lives.”
Step 4 | Be Led In THE Way
Now is the time to write! Reflecting on your conversation with the Father thus far and what the Spirit of Truth has revealed, right down your reflections on the following questions
Is there anything, or a relationship with anyone, where I need to take a step toward restoration tomorrow or this week?
Is there anything the Spirit of Truth is guiding me to (1) start doing, (2) stop doing, (3) start believing or thinking, (4) stop believing or thinking, (5) to commit to, (6) or to stop committing to?