Reflection Options  

Journal  (reflect on one or more of these questions)

• Sometimes circumstances can seem more like threats than gifts.  Journal about when submitting to God seems demeaning.  What could change this to a willing or joyful submission for you?

• Take John Wesley’s covenant prayer and rewrite it in your own words as a prayer.

• Recall and journal about a time when you surrendered your way/perspective/choice/thoughts to the Lord and the result brought you joy.  Describe the “before” and “after” of that experience.  

Quote Interaction (Interact by agreeing, disagreeing or otherwise engaging with the quote/quotes)

• “Our obedience is God's pleasure when it proves that God is our treasure. This is good news, because it means very simply that the command to obey is the command to be happy in God. The commandments of God are only as hard to obey as the promises of God are hard to believe. The Word of God is only as hard to obey as the beauty of God is hard to cherish.”  (John Piper)

• “Jesus said, “If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (Jn. 15:10-11). In this statement Jesus links obedience and joy in a cause and effect manner; that is, joy results from obedience. Only those who are obedient – who are pursuing holiness as a way of life – will know the joy that comes from God.”  (Jerry Bridges)

• “When the law of God is written in our hearts, our duty will be our delight.”  (Matthew Henry)

• "God would have us part with nothing for Him, but that which will damn us if we keep it. He has no design upon us, but to make us happy.”  (Thomas Watson, A Puritan Golden Treasury)

Reading & Reflection from the book, Shaping The Journey of Emerging Adults: 

• Read "Map growth in the Christlife postures" (p. 141). Create a “map” of growth for your own journey of learning to submit to God’s heart for you, especially noting when obeying God has been more from joy than duty.

• Read “Special Growth Obstacle” (pp. 85-86).  Can you identify anything (or several things) that seem to block you from experiencing responding to God as joyous?  Think of ways you might address that obstacle so that it no longer has the power to steal your joy in the Lord.

• If one of the obstacles you struggle with is related to obedience to God’s plan for our sexuality, read “Trusting God’s Self Portrait” and “Humbly Submitting to the Satisfactions of Christ” and “Intimacy as an Expression of Fulfilling the Father’s Will” (pp. 173-179).  How does this portrait of godly sexuality give you a vision for joy-filled obedience in this area?