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Examining your life in light the events of your life
Where are you at now? These questions are designed to help you reflect on
where you are at currently. They are to aide you in discovery and in
description of where you are – they are not meant to be prescriptive of
where you should be. As you think through them they may give guidance for
the future, but do not use them to bludgeon yourself with your failures to
be where you think you should be at this point. Embrace where you are, no
matter how you got here, and listen to God in this place!
1. How would you describe the period of life that you are currently in?
– When did this period begin?
– Identify the boundary that separates this period from previous
periods. (It may something that is new that has begun in your life,
an event, a birthday/phase of life, a new decision, a new insight, a
new pledge or determination.)
2. Who are the key people in your life now?
– What role does each play in your life?
o Have their roles changed?
– Which relationships are satisfying and which are disappointing— and why?
3. What key concepts or ideas mark this time in your life?
– What ideas are especially important and/or stimulating to you
now?
– What are you reading about? Thinking about? Wrestling with?
– What do you find your imagination drawn to lately?
4. What characterizes you inner state during this time?
– How would you describe your prayer life? (active/inactive)
– What are the areas that God is encouraging you in?
– What are the areas that He is challenging you in?
– Are there new discoveries you are having about who you are?
o New or renewed interests?
o New places of brokenness that you are discovering?
o What has brought these new revelations?
. How are you responding to these new visions of yourself?
– How are you doing emotionally?
o Is there a mood or tenor to your emotional life-both apparent
and maybe hidden just beneath the surface?
o Have there been changes in your emotional temperature lately?
. If so, when did this happen?
. Why do you think the changes may have occurred?
Are there other internal dynamics that are uniquely at play for you during
this time?
5. What are the major responsibilities that characterize this time of you
life?
– In other words, how will you spend you time?
– What interests you most? Least in what you have to do?
– What is most creative about your life at this time?
– What is most demanding?
6. What is your physical state during this time?
– Are you healthy?
– How do you feel about your body?
Now stand back prayerfully from these questions:
* Do your reflections give you any insight into your life currently?
Do you notice any themes?
Things that surprise you?
Things that are similar?
Perceptions of what God may be doing?
* Do they point out anything about the future that you need to
consider?
Pray Psalm 23
In light of what you have been considering in the last few hours pray
through Psalm 23.
Read the meditatively using method of meditation called Lectio Divina.
LECTIO DIVINA
- Read Scripture devotionally, slowly praying through what you are
reading. In many ways this method is as much letting the passage read you,
as you reading the passage. The following is a method of reading scripture
that is 1700 years old. It is called “Lectio Divina” which simply means
“divine reading”. It is a meditative reading encourages you to engage your
heart as well as your head. It can be practiced in groups or individually.
Prepare: Take a moment to come fully into the present. Sit
comfortably, alert and relaxed. Try, if you can to put away your
thoughts of the day and assume a listening open posture.
1. Hear the word that is addressed to you.
First, read the passage twice. Listen for the word or phrase that
attract you from the passage. Don’t analyze the passage for the key
work, that is work that is done at another time. Here just hang on to
the word or phrase that jumps out at you. Repeat this word or phrase
over to yourself softly for one about one minute. (If you are in a
group the leader should signal after a minute, and every one in the
group say aloud only that word of phrase with no elaboration.)
2. Ask how is my life touched by this word?
Read the passage a third time. Listen to discover how your life is
touched by this passage. During two minutes of silence consider the
possibilities, or receive a sensory perception. For example you may
feel cold or warm. One time when I was praying through a passage
where Jesus was getting out of a boat I had a strong sense of the
smell of fish. (If in a group, the leader gives a signal asking each
member to share their perception with the phrases “I am touched by…
,” “I hear…,” “I see…,” “I sense…,”—or you may pass.)
3. Ask, “Is there an invitation here for me?”
Read the passage for the fourth time. Listen to discover a possible
invitation relevant to today (or the next few days). Ponder it during
several minutes of silence , in fact do not leave this place until you
feel you have heard all there is for you. (If in a group, the leader,
after ample time gives a signal, and each member shares about their
sense of invitation—OR you may pass)
4. Pray for yourself—that you will be able to respond.
Questions for further reflection:
As a sheep, what are some of your reoccurring needs?
Particularly in ministry.
How are you being shepherded by God in these needs?
Notice the way in which he shepherds the psalmist.
Which of these do you need form God?
Take some time to pray your need.
How are you being shepherded or pastored by others in this need?
What are the barriers to you receiving the care you need-either
internal or external?
Are there ways to overcome the barriers?
Read the psalm one last time and the lie down – have a nap or an
extended time of rest.
A Guide to Reflection on Ministry
Prayer: Almighty God, in every age you have called out men and women to be
your faithful servants. We believe that you now have called us to join
that great company who seek to follow you. Grant unto us today and always
a clear vision of your call and strength to fulfill the ministry assigned
to us. We pray in the name of Christ. Amen.
Reflection questions:
1. How in the past semester do you feel you have seen clear visions of His
call to ministry?
2. How have you responded to these visions and this calling?
– How have you walked in obedience and faithful following?
– How have you failed to fulfill the calling God has given you?
– How do you feel about each of these?
When have you felt unclear about what God is calling you to in ministry?
– What were the circumstances of that lack of clarity?
o What was happening in your life at that time?
– What feelings or thoughts did this lack of clarity bring up for
you?
o What were your feeling or thoughts about yourself, about
others or about God?
– Has clarity come or are you still waiting?
o If you are waiting-how are you dealing with the silence?
With hope, anticipation, impatience, discouragement-other?
Read John 20:4-19. Prayerfully reflect on the passage. Ask the Lord to
show you Himself, and to show you yourself.
* How do you think Peter felt as the scene unfolds?
Identify the variety of emotions that he may have experienced.
* How in the past semester have you experienced what Peter may have
been
experiencing?
* How does Jesus respond to him?
o What does this say about who He is and how He feels about
Peter?
* In what places of your life do you need to receive what Jesus is
saying and
demonstrating to Peter?
* What does Jesus call Peter to?
* DO you have a clear vision of what Jesus has called you to? Is it
specific or
more general, like his calling to Peter?
Pray and quietly listen
Continue by thinking through your future calling, using the following
questions in light of what you just heard from the Lord.
1. What visions do you currently have for your call to ministry?
– Where is God calling you to ministry?
– What people has he called you to?
– What tasks has he called you to do?
– What is it that you need to follow, be and do, to fulfill this
calling?
o From God?
o From others?
“Faith in the value and meaning of life, even in the face of despair and
death, is the second principle of Christian leadership. This seems so
obvious that it is often taken for granted and overlooked.
But for a man (woman) with a deep-rooted faith in the value and meaning of
life, every experience holds a new promise, every encounter carries a new
insight and every event brings a new message. But these promises,
insights, and messages have to be discovered and made visible. A Christian
leader is not a leader because he (she) announced a new idea and tries to
convince others of its worth; he(she) is a leader because he (she) faces
the world with eyes full of expectation, with the expertise to take away
the veil that covers its hidden potential. Christian leadership is called
ministry precisely to express that in the service of others new life can be
brought about. It is this service which gives eyes to see the flower
breaking through the cracks in the street, ears to hear a word of
forgiveness muted by hatred and hostility, and hands to feel new life under
the cover of death and destruction.” From The Wounded Healer Henry Nouwen
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