Seeking Him Together Bible Study: Week 3

~What part of this study or what Scripture has been most helpful to you thus far in understanding what revival means in your life? Why?

Probably what has impacted me the most is the study around how pride, specifically false humility and anxiety/worry, plays a role in my life. Revival means l.e.t.t.i.n.g. g.o. of the things I ruminate, cogitate, or mull over. And it's great to see that I'm educable--that God is bringing me thru this muck. Because if left to my own devices, I'd just spin wheels ad nauseum, or think myself to death. And to what end? I don't think so. I will stumble and fall at times, but it stops here. Another piece of this question is answered in studying honesty, which was emphasized this week. We were asked something to the effect of, "So, Gretchen, and fellow studiers, do you try to make yourself look better than you are?". Me? Never. Well...there was this one time. Like when I clean like a mad woman before company comes, and everyone in the family wants to kill me because of my lovely rantings of "why can't you pick up your_______?!!!" and "This house is a MESS! How do we live this way?" Yeah. Here's a secret: I'm not the best housekeeper, and I wish I were. But I don't do a whole lot until there is literally a fire burning beneath me. A fire of pride and dishonesty. Look, I'm not saying I should open my door to company with tons of dirt and clutter, but really? I don't prioritize cleaning, and my life reflects that. We're hygeinic, but cluttered. My floors have vacuum streaks about once a week, not every other day. Sometimes my feet have goobers on the bottom of them from my kitchen floor due to a lack of sweepage. It is what it is. And there was this other time...

yeah.

Why is the above helpful in my personal revival? Because it focuses me on my needs. And when I'm thinking of my needs, I focus on the Cross. When I'm prideful here, or dishonest there, I see also the need to repent, thus opening the gate to the Father's loving acceptance and abundant grace.

~What can we do to create greater freedom in the Body of Christ to be honest with each other?If there's something more you'd like to share with us this week, please do!

We (I) can stop creating an atmosphere of judgement (whether real or perceived), and start sharing ourselves. We can chat with others about our hang ups, pitfalls, strongholds. But sharing is the first piece. After that, we need to repent, and move forward. I had a Weight Watchers leader who once said, "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got." Obviously, wanting to lose weight is a lot like wanting to stop sinning in any particular area. It's a nice thought. But until we confess completely, and receive forgiveness, we'll never move forward. Also, for a ruminator like myself, the key is actually in the moving forward. Being so assured of God's presence and grace that I know I'm forgiven and can l.e.t. i.t. g.o. After the sharing and the letting go...we can pray for protection and for just enough faith to make it through one more day.

As always, thank you His Girl and Melissa at Breath of Life for hosting this study.