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ORDINARY DAY WITH JESUS Based on the study by John Ortberg and Ruth Haley Barton, available through Willow Creek Resources Lesson Six: Spiritual Pathways October 29, 2006

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, Do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, Giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17

You can use the text of this message to fill in the blanks in your participant’s guide! Page numbers for the guide are referenced in bold; sentences from the guide are in bold, with answers supplied in all caps and underlined. (SLIDE) just indicates my transitions in the powerpoint presentation. Please ignore these markings—I hope they don’t inconvenience you. Please e-mail me (Pastor Brenda) at [email protected] with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

(SLIDE) The One Thing to know: You can connect with God using your natural strengths—in ways that you enjoy and find deeply energizing. The truth will set you free. (SLIDE) This study is not about doing MORE THINGS. It’s about doing what we ALREADY do with a greater and growing awareness of Jesus’ presence with us.

Introduction & Review. (Previous messages and additional resources available at Trinity’s website—Sermons/Ordinary Day.)

 (SLIDE) Living in Jesus’ Name: Forest path, “I am the Way…”

 (SLIDE) Everyday Relationships: Vine, “We love because he first loved us.”

 (SLIDE) Work: City, “My Father is always at his work…”

 (SLIDE) Leadings: Phone, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

 (SLIDE) Solitude: Signs, “Stop, look, listen.” (The one thing needful.)

 (SLIDE) Spiritual Pathways: Road through trees, “The truth shall set you free.” DISCOVERY

Last week we talked about spending time alone and quiet as a way to connect with God. Some of us swam in those waters like fish. Others of us dog paddled. Some of us probably didn’t even want to get in the water!

That’s partly because we’re all different. Just like we have personality styles or learning styles, personal strengths and non-strengths, we also have unique spiritual personalities. Solitude comes more easily to some of us than others— several folks were delighted last week to have been given solitude time in church and permission to take more at home!

In this week’s lesson, we’re going to take a look at a variety of spiritual personality types or pathways that we can use to connect with God. Again, the MAIN THING in this course is to sink more and more deeply into the idea that God is with us every day, all the time, concerned about and shaping every detail of every moment. Getting more and more in tune with God’s presence and Jesus’ way is what sets us more and more free to be and do what we’re on this planet to be and do.

When you have some time and want to experience renewal or recreation (what the Full Engagement guys call “recovery”), what do you do?

What happens when you go too long without doing this activity?

We recover in different ways—mental activity, tuning out…physical activity, rest!...solitude, friends or even crowds.

Married folks: Do you share the same “recovery pathways” as your spouse? Maybe some, but not all, eh? We’re not the same! What Is a SPIRITUAL PATHWAY? (Page 66)

Just as we have different ways to recover mentally and physically, God also “wires” us to recover spiritually and connect with him in different ways. Ordinary Day calls these “spiritual pathways.”

(SLIDE) A spiritual pathway is the way we most naturally connect with God and grow spiritually.

Each of us have usually one or two main spiritual pathways. And each of us usually have one or two pathways that are very unnatural for us—that take some real stretching for us to use at all effectively.

It’s important to know this for a couple of reasons:

(SLIDE) First: When you know your spiritual pathway, God’s hope and mine is that you’ll feel great FREEDOM and joy in using it.

Jesus was not a rule-bound, joyless scrooge! He connected with God and others in places and activities that he enjoyed, and I believe God wants the same for us. God made you just the way you are—you can use activities you’re already doing that make you feel alive and growing to get close to God and grow spiritually.

Today we remember a guy named Martin Luther and the movement he started in the church. The heart of Luther’s problem was that Christianity had become an empty religion of rules and superstition, and he realized it was wrong. He saw in the Bible that God wants us alive and connected. Like our Gospel lesson says, When you trust Jesus and hold to his teaching—YOU are really his disciple. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It’s perfect that we’re learning how to connect with the God who loves and forgives us and sets us more and more free to be and do what we’re on this planet to be and do.

Second: Learning that people all around you experience God in a variety of ways gives us a reason to appreciate experiences and practices in spirituality that DON’T come naturally to us. And patience when your pastors try them in worship.

For instance: With Ordinary Day, I’m trying a teaching style that’s new to me and to Trinity’s worship. I’m hearing a wide variety of responses—you seem to be comfortable telling me what you think, and you’re being kind. That’s mature! AND, we’ll finish this series in a couple weeks, evaluate it, move forward with what works well for most of us, and use the rest less often. Now… Individual Activity: Spiritual Pathway Assessment. (SLIDE, Pages 67-72)

We’ll go through the characteristics of each spiritual pathway in just a moment, but first I want you to know that there’s a basic inventory in your participant guides.

You may identify yourself pretty easily as I describe the pathways, but I invite all of you to take the 10 or 20 minutes you’ll need to go through the inventory and score it.

To make even more out of it, talk about it with your small group or study partner —or give this inventory to a friend and talk about it with him or her. (Now the folks with relational pathways are getting excited!  ) Seven Spiritual Pathways (SLIDE, Page 73)

There are examples of at least seven spiritual pathways in the Bible. There may be more (you might find some!), but most people usually relate well to one or more of these seven:

 Intellectual  Relational  Service  Worship  Activist  Contemplative  Creation

It’s very likely that you’re already using your spiritual pathway in very fulfilling ways—but it might be that you’re not connecting what you’re doing there to your faith life or your relationship with God. OR you might be missing out entirely on a potentially great and growing experience. Let’s change that! Let’s connect!

We’ll start with the Intellectual pathway, on Participant Guide page 74. Intellectual (Pages 74-75)

If this is you (SLIDE),

 You draw close to God as you LEARN more about him.  The study of SCRIPTURE and theology comes naturally.

If you go into a (Christian) bookstore, you may not come out till the lights go off.

 You may have little patience for emotional approaches to faith.

Touching stories in the sermon are nice for some, but not the most compelling to you! During worship, you might find yourself marking time until the message starts. In a small group, you’re concerned that something is LEARNED, not just “shared.”

 You are a thinker.

You may have a feeling occasionally, but you’ve found that if you wait, it usually passes!

Intellectual: Biblical Example

The Apostle Paul is someone in the Bible who had an intellectual pathway. Even before his conversion, he tells us that he studied at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the great Jewish scholars of his day. After his conversion, he taught and reasoned in synagogues and among the philosophers in Athens.

We find Jesus exercising his Intellectual pathway when he was 12, “sitting among the teachers” in the temple, “listening to them and asking them questions,” and amazing everyone with his understanding and his answers. Luke portrays Jesus as the best possible candidate for Rabbi school!

Around Trinity, your pastors—especially Steve Goodwin—often enjoy an intellectual pastor. If I may be so bold, Luther Frerichs has blessed dozens of high school students and the rest of us by using and sharing his intellectual pathway… Book clubbers often have an intellectual pathway. Intellectual: Strengths Intellectual pathway folks (SLIDE) can build on their strengths by reading great and challenging books, exposing themselves to lots of teaching, and finding like- minded people with whom you can learn.

And continuing your learning is important, Intellectual Friends, because if you stop, you stagnate and grow frustrated. Expose yourselves to lots of teaching— and we’ve got some GREAT books and CDs to share if any of you want to start a reading group or study! Don’t neglect spiritual learning!

In some ways, this study might appeal to intellectual pathway folks—but in many ways, it’s so practical and basic, that you might find yourselves needing more challenging stuff. You might have really enjoyed Doug’s Leviticus series this summer.

Intellectual: Cautions (SLIDE), Page 75. Naturals on the intellectual pathway should guard against becoming all head and no heart. You love to be right, and that can be dangerous. As Dallas Willard observes: One of the hardest things in the world is to be right and not to hurt anybody with it.

Jesus was remarkable on that count!

Also, don’t confuses being smart with being spiritually mature. “Smart” on its own is neither wise nor mature. Remember session two? The right gauge of spiritual health and maturity is love (patient, kind, not jealous, angry, boastful or rude…does not humble itself, but serves…).

Intellectual: Stretching Exercises (SLIDE) One good stretch is to devote yourself to corporate worship and to private adoration and prayer.

It may not come naturally, but your learning needs to lead you to WORSHIP; otherwise, it will get dangerous. Paul, our intellectual mentor in scripture advises: “Knowledge puff up, but love builds up.” (1 Cor. 8:1) He should know!

Another good stretch is to engage in self-examination . Ask: “Am I loving as I interact with others and share knowledge or teach?” Ask others! Relational (Pages 76-77) (SLIDE) If you have a relational pathway,  Spiritual growth and joy come most naturally when you’re involved in significant RELATIONSHIPS.

You’re likely to be a small group junkie—you start or belong to small groups in your neighborhood, at work, on plane trips and long elevator rides.

 Your life is an open book, and you’re surprised that it’s difficult for others to be open.

Sales people call about refinancing your home, and you ask, “How are you doing, REALLY?”

 Being alone can drive you crazy.

“Solitude wouldn’t be so bad,” you think, “if I could just bring a few friends along.” You’re likely to be an extrovert on the Myers Briggs personality inventory.

 In key times of growth—like confronting sin, guidance for decisions, accountability for actions, expressions of love—God will often speak to you through people.

Relational: Biblical Example

In the Bible, the Apostle Peter came to Jesus WITH others. Along with James and John, he was part of an inner circle Jesus gathered. In the empty heartache after Jesus died, Peter gathered the guys and went fishing. The big moments of Peter’s life—his choice to follow Jesus, his declaration of Jesus as Messiah, his denial of Jesus and his restoration—all took place in groups.

Others: JOHN WESLEY, the founder of the Methodist Church, was passionate for getting believers connected and growing in home groups, and that’s how the Methodists got going. Relational: Strengths (SLIDE) If this is you,  You need an emotionally rich life. You can  Use your spiritual gift, your pathway, to serve others.  Pray with others in community. Because you enjoy speaking and hearing others so much, you’ll probably  Learn best in a class or small group. Because you have so many relationships, you can  Use your network of contacts to further God’s kingdom.

Relational: Cautions (Page 77) (SLIDE) Here are two cautions for you relational pathway people:

 First, Guard against superficiality.

You need to make sure you have a few deep relationships in your life—people who get past your fun external self, who know and love you deeply, who challenge you, encourage you, and give you wise counsel.

 Second, You can grow DEPENDENT on others and become a spiritual chameleon. You can adjust yourself to suit your audience.

Peter had this problem. In the early church, Paul got furious with Peter because he was swayed by his peers. Initially, Peter reached out to non-Jews freely, placing no barriers on their full participation as followers of Jesus. But when some legalistic Jewish believers challenged him, he began acting as aloof and superior as they did.

Intellectual: Stretching Exercises (SLIDE) Here are a few ways to stretch:

 Develop a capacity for SILENCE; learn to speak and listen to God alone.  Keep some of your experiences with God secret so you don’t have a chance to impress anybody with them.  Study Scripture for yourself; ground yourself in the Word, rather than in other people.  Invite close friends to speak truth to you to build relationships of depth and accountability. Seek a little spiritual discomfort and disturbance along with the comfort. Service (Pages 78-79) (SLIDE) If this is you,

 God’s presence seems most tangible when you’re involved in helping others.

 You’re often uncomfortable in a setting where you don’t have a role—a job.

If you have even as simple a job as setting up chairs, serving coffee, or offering some kind of care, then you sense God’s purpose, presence, and delight.

 You constantly look for acts of SERVICE you can engage in, and rarely need to be asked.

Service: Biblical Example A woman named Dorcas, for whom our Dorcas Circle (women’s group for study, support, and service) is named, clearly had a Service Pathway.

The Book of Acts describes Dorcas as a woman, “always doing good and helping the poor.” When she died, folks were so upset, they sent for Peter, who raised her from the dead and sent her back to work! I think it’s cool that the Dorcas Circle here recently got Enumclaw press for giving money to the Police to be used for folks who need a place to stay when they’re in trouble.

Also, Martha. Luke 10:38-42, from last week’s meditation.

MOTHER TERESA of Calcutta probably had this pathway—she said she found joy in serving the poor. She saw the face of Christ in the people she served, and her service brought purpose and depth and joy to her life.

I can think of several folks around here who have service pathways—several of our ushers and grounds-keeping helpers, a good number of our women. And for the most part, I don’t think these folks want the extra attention of being named —but if you catch them exercising their service pathway, I KNOW they appreciate our thanks! Service: Strengths (SLIDE) If this is you, you connect with God when you’re helping, so get on with it!   Get connected into a COMMUNITY that will offer you opportunities for meaningful service to God and others.

If you’re just attending church but have nowhere to serve, your connection with God (and your church) will begin to feel distant.

 Look for glimpses of God’s presence in the people you serve and in the execution of your tasks.

Remember: We work because God works and we’re made in God’s image. (Lesson 3) Your work can connect you with and show the rest of us the servant heart of God. WOW! You can cultivate an awareness of God beside you, God within you as you serve. As we said in Lesson 3, You can partner with God in your work. A great way to do this is to:

 Prepare to serve with some time in prayer. Praying can help you and the others you’re working with connect with the spiritual reality beneath your tasks.

Service: Cautions (SLIDE) Every gift or pathway has it’s dark side, doesn’t it? Here are some problems you can avoid:

 Be careful not to resent others who don’t serve as much or as well as you do. (Martha and Mary! Luke 10)

 Remember God doesn’t love you for what you do or for your faithfulness—though those qualities are delightful!—God loves you because you are God’s CHILD. Nothing you can do can make God love you more. Nothing you can do will make God love you less.

 Don’t confuse serving with earning God’s love. And one of my own:

 If you find yourself tired and resenting those you serve, STOP!

Your purpose on this earth is not PRIMARILY to serve others, it’s to fear and love God, to quote Martin Luther. Or Jesus to his friend Martha, “You’re worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—indeed only one.” Service: Stretching Exercises (SLIDE)

 Balance your service with small group and community life.

Seek to serve in small groups that might incorporate prayer and learning. Serving with others also reminds us of God’s partnership—God is with and in the brothers and sisters at our side.

 Learn to receive love even when you’re not being productive. Say, “thank you very much!”

 Practice expressing love through WORDS as well as actions.

Even consider using some of the other five love languages—quality time is a lot like receiving love without being productive—then there’s touch and gift giving, too! Worship (Pages 80-81) (SLIDE) Next is the worship pathway. If you have a worship pathway, you’re turned on by music, mystery, and the power of the senses used toward experiences of deep spiritual enrichment—outside church, and (I hope!) inside it. You love Psalm 122: “I rejoiced when I heard them say, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” (And you might be able to sing it! )

 You have a deep love of corporate praise and a natural inclination toward celebration.

 In difficult times, worship is one of the most healing activities you engage in.

When you worship at church (without your kids) you can lose track of time and hope it goes on forever. Intellectual types are looking at their watches, biding time until the message, while you’re lost in song or prayer.

Sometimes you’re naturally outgoing, but often people with a worship pathway aren’t demonstrative or expressive. Yet,

 In worship your HEART opens up; you come alive and enthusiastically participate. You might feel like raising your arms, clapping, or dancing—or maybe you’re just quietly overcome with an almost tangible sense of the presence of God.

 Possibly creative, artistic, probably musical.

Worship: Biblical Example King David is a Biblical person who had a worship pathway—he danced with so much abandon once that his wife was embarrassed, he was a musician and composer—expressed love, frustration, celebration, and anger with God through music.

Most writers of hymns and praise songs have a worship pathway—and the artists who bring us our most powerful music, Christian and non-, probably connect with their spirituality most easily through music. I’m thinking of U2’s Bono, the artists of Green Day, Michael W. Smith, Darlene Zschech—who gave us “Shout to the Lord,” the Gaithers, Cliff Barrows, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash…you know! Worship: Strengths (Page 81) (SLIDE) Here are some ways to build worship pathway strengths:

 Experience great worship on a regular basis.

When the body of Christ gathers (that means a church service!), be there. And bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better—small, simple worship experiences can be as powerful as big, professional ones. Just different.

 Use worship CD’s and make your car (your walk, even your work, if it’s possible) a sanctuary.

Drive down the road singing if you want! It’s how you connect with God. Don’t mind if the rest of us stare. 

 Learn about other worship traditions and incorporate what you learn into your personal worship time.

When you’re tired of what you’re used to, be open, change it up!

Worship: Cautions (SLIDE) Quick cautions…

 Be careful not to judge others’ worship styles (especially those who are more or less expressive!)

Hey, Everybody: Avoid judging anybody! Don’t assume someone doesn’t love God as much or isn’t experiencing the Holy Spirit because of an outward appearance—or a preference for music/worship style! Lutherans, especially, aren’t likely to jump up and down, or even clap! But you and I can’t know what’s going on inside somebody else unless they tell us. In worship or any other time.

 Guard against an experience-based spirituality that has you always looking for the next worship “high.”

Writer Meister Eckhart says, “The danger in finding a way to God is that people grow to love the way more than they love God.” I suppose that’s a danger no matter what your pathway, but as a self-proclaimed “worship junkie,” I understand how tempting it can be to go seeking a powerful, intimate, transformative worship experience. I’ve done it. And I’ve been disappointed. Worship: Stretching Exercises (SLIDE) Study will stretch you.

 Engage in the discipline of STUDY.

Root your heart, spirit, and emotions in a solid and growing body of the knowledge of God.

 Serve God in concrete ways as an extension of your worship.

Serving gets you into people’s lives and provides a practical outlet for the exuberance or intensity you feel in worship. (Bono’s doing it!)

 Remain committed to your church even when worship isn’t all you’d like it to be (I didn’t make this one up!)

Be part of building worship by staying faithful and bringing your best contribution to making worship meaningful for your congregation. (Direct quote ) Activist (Pages 82-83)

(SLIDE) If you have an activist pathway,

 you have a single-minded zeal and a very strong sense of VISION.

 You have a passion to build the church and work for justice.

 Challenges don’t discourage you. They energize you.

You thrive on opposition. You love it when somebody says to you, “This can’t be done.” You smile and say: “Watch me!”

 You do everything you can to bring out the POTENTIAL God has place in other people.

 You love a fast-paced, problem-filled, complex, strenuous way of life.

At the end of the day, activists want to say, “I ran really hard. I used every ounce of effort and zeal at my disposal, God, and it’s all for you.” Activists want to run with everything they’ve got between now and the day they meet their maker—which might be in their early fifties of a heart attack!

Activist: Biblical Example Nehemiah, one of the Old Testament’s prophets, was an activist. When he heard from his exile in Babylon that Jerusalem was in poor shape, he’s upset and wants to do something about it.

One phrase in the story captures the essence of the activist: Nehemiah says, “I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king.”

He prayed, then he proposed. Prayer and action go hand in hand for the activist.

WILLIAM AND CATHERINE BOOTH, Founders of the Salvation Army, saw the suffering of the poor in their city, and determined to reach “into hell” to bring them back.

Some of our politicians are activists, some Trinity folk are activists; do you know them? Activist: Strengths (Page 83) (SLIDE) To build on your strengths,

 Create a sense of CHALLENGE in your life.

Immerse yourself in tasks that demand the best you have to offer. If yo uaren’t moving, you get frustrated and feel stagnant.

 Find a team of people you can invest in and work with to accomplish big goals.

Activist: Cautions (SLIDE) Be aware that  You may run over people as you focus on and move toward your goal/s. Also,

 Guard against going too long without a pause or break. You’ll need time to reflect on what you’re doing and how you’re doing it so that you stay in touch with your MOTIVES, your spirit, your emotions, even your body!

Activist: Stretching (SLIDE)  Create a balance to your activism by spending time in solitude and silence. When you give yourself space to listen to your self and to God, your awareness of your own motives and God’s guidance will grow—you’ll be able to respond to God’s purposes rather than your own.  Cultivate a reflective discipline like journaling.

Journal writing is helpful because it’s an ACTION—and activists are into action— but it requires you to slow down long enough to reflect on your interior world.

 Develop close spiritual friendships with one or two other people. There’s a Buddhist story of a monk who was challenged by a roadside guard: “Who are you? Where are you from? Where are you going?” He offered to pay the guard to accompany him and ask those questions daily. That’s the job of an activist’s friend: to inquire what God is doing IN you and not just THROUGH you. These friendships must focus on YOU, not on your tasks. Contemplative (Pages 84-85) (SLIDE) If you have a contemplative pathway,

 You love uninterrupted TIME ALONE.  Reflection comes naturally to you.

The presence of God is most real when all distractions are removed.

 You have a large capacity for prayer.

If you get busy or spend a lot of time with people, you feel drained and yearn for times of solitude.

Contemplative: Biblical Example Mary, Martha the Servant’s sister in Luke 10, is a contemplative. She sits at Jesus’ feet while Martha prepares the meal.

If you’re like Mary, you love to just sit at Jesus’ feet. You’d rather be with him, in quiet, than be busy with tasks.

So when a quiet, contemplative type meets a good-lookin’ chatty relational type of the opposite gender, what happens? They get married and drive each other batty.

Author Henri Nouwen is a well-known contemplative author, as is Dallas Willard, who’s been quoted so often in this study; I expect Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message is probably also a contemplative. Pastor Jim and my friend Linda Ingham from Hope Lutheran are both spiritual directors—as professionals, they walk beside people seeking spiritual growth.

They think deeply about many aspects of following Jesus. Their thoughts and writings—rooted in quiet listening, reflection, and solitude—are valuable wisdom for our journeys with God and each other. Contemplative: Strengths (SLIDE) If you’re a contemplative, you probably need to hear this:  You have permission to build on your strengths.

Don’t criticize yourself for what you’re not. You have what Gordon MacDonald calls “a large interior world.”

 You need regular, protected, intense times of solitude and stillness.

Making time to listen to God is vital to the health of your soul—maybe your mind and body, too! The Holy Spirit will often use your intuitions, and you will probably feel things deeply. You may be a naturally random sort of thinker.

 Faithfully follow your intuitions and the leadings that come in your times alone with God. They may not always seem to make sense —and that’s ok.

 Act on what you hear from God in silence.

Contemplative: Cautions (Page 85) (SLIDE)  You have a tendency to avoid the demands of the real world. It doesn’t live up to your ideals. So,

 Be careful not to retreat to your inner world when friends, family, or society disappoint you.

 Resist the temptation to consider your times of private prayer and solitude as less important than more public acts of ministry peformed by others.

Contemplative: Stretching (SLIDE)  Choose a regular place of active service.

That way your deep insights and learning will be useful to more people—and they’ll grow deeper through additional input!—AND, you can share your insights and learning with more people.

 Connect with folks who have an activist pathway. Pray for them and consider partnering in some aspect of their ministry activities. Creation (Pages 86-87)

(SLIDE) The final pathway is creation. If this is you,

 You respond deeply to God through your experience of NATURE.  Being outdoors renews you.

It moves your heart, opens your soul, and strengthens your faith. You relate to the words of the artist Vincent van Gogh: All nature seems to speak. As for me, I cannot understand why everybody does not see it or feel it. And to these words from a Psalm set to music might play through your mind: The heavens are telling the glory of God, and all creation is shouting for joy!

 You’re highly aware of your physical senses, and often art, symbols, or ritual will help you grow.  You tend to be creative.

Creation: Biblical Example Our biblical example this time is Jesus. He probably exemplifies all the pathways, but the Bible clearly portrays Jesus recharging out in nature. He often withdrew from others to a boat or to the mountains—even his 40 days in the wilderness were a powerful part of his spiritual journey.

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER, who we thank for inventing peanut butter, was an African-American chemist. It is claimed he prayed, “God show me the secrets of the universe,” and God responded, “The universe is too big for you; I’ll show you what is in the peanut!” Creation: Strengths (SLIDE) To build on your strengths, you can…

 Spend time outdoors

In Jesus’ day, this wasn’t a stretch—people were outdoors a lot. These days, we work inside and have to work at getting outside!

 Find a location for getaways.  Make beauty a part of your spiritual life.

Can you tell I have a creation pathway? And I combine it with a worship pathway—I get out in nature, take pictures of it, and share my experience with you guys by putting them on the screen here. Any other photographers with a creation pathway out there??? I’d love to share your stuff, too! Send your images in to me or the office if you’d like to share!!!

Creation folks, you may pray better with beauty near you—art, flowers, or candles…

Creation: Cautions (Page 87)

(SLIDE)  You may be tempted to escape into beauty or nature.  You will sometimes find people disappointing.  You may be tempted to avoid church, thinking, “I can worship God in nature, on my own.”

Yes, you were made for God’s beauty, AND you’ll grow by learning to see beauty in people and listening for God’s voice through them. (Mother Teresa on looking at the dirty and dying: “I see Christ in a very distressing disguise.”) If you give up on people, you’ll miss the gifts God wants to give you through them! Creation: Stretching (SLIDE)  Stay involved in a worshiping community

You do need people—they’re also part of God’s amazing creation. A massage therapist once said to me, “I am always amazed and honored to work toward the healing of the human body.” She was also an artist who made big metal sculptures. I think she had a creation pathway.

 From time to time, be willing to help out in less-than-beautiful settings.

The ugliness of our world may turn you and me off, but God’s love has to reach into every dark corner. You can help bring it there, and you can really grow in the process.

 Take Scripture with you into nature—either written or in your head—and meditate on God’s Word as you enjoy what God says in creation. Individual Activity: Developing My Spiritual Pathway (Page 88)

(SLIDE) Based on what you’ve learned about your preferred spiritual pathway, answer the following questions:

What are one or two activities you need to engage in regularly to stay connected with God? OR What activities am I already doing that renew and refresh me?

How might you incorporate these activities into your daily or weekly routine? OR How might I become more aware of God as I continue activities I’m already enjoying?

Which pathway is a stretch for you, but might help you connect with God in new ways? OR Is God inviting me to stretch into a less comfortable pathway? Which one and how? Making the Most of Your Spiritual Pathway

When you discover your pathway, you know a little more of the truth about you, and it can set you FREE! Here are some of the ways (SLIDE):

 You have permission to be who you are in God. Celebrate the pathway God has given you, use it, enjoy it! AND…

 Engage in activities that move you out of your comfort zone and force you to stretch.

Every pathway has strengths and cautions. It’s easy to default only to our strengths—and it’s tough enough to get that in a lot of the time.

But this is important, folks. Using your pathways is refreshing, it’s centering, it’s reconnecting with yourself and your maker. Living our ordinary days with Jesus ISN’T about doing new things or more things—it’s about doing what we’re already doing with a greater awareness of Jesus’ presence in and around us all the time.

I’m willing to bet that you’ve got activities already in your schedule that line up with your spiritual pathway, and now that you know what it is, you can use that time to enjoy God and spiritually more fully.

 (SLIDE) You need not envy anyone else’s pathway, thinking things like, “Activists and servants really get things done in this world—I wish I could CONTRIBUTE something!” God made you to be YOU, and no one else can play that part.

 Nor should you judge somebody else’s pathway, thinking, “What’s the matter with that guy? Why can’t he get quiet and pray? Doesn’t he have any depth?”

And activists and servants, if you’ve got enforced sitting to do—consider using it for a stretch. Don’t DO anything for a change. Contemplatives and thinkers, if your spouse wants to get out in creation, go with her! Worship folk, when there’s work to be done—pray, load up on a song or a scripture, and get out there to feed somebody or fix something! We all grow when we…

 Explore and develop other pathways. Be and enjoy who you are and the pathways that come easily, stretch now and again, don’t compare yourself, and be patient with others. That sounds like a verse somewhere.  The One Thing:

(SLIDE) You are created to connect with God—to know more and more fully the deepest truth about yourself and the world—through your strengths: the natural gifts that make you feel most alive, purposeful, delighted.

Challenge:

(SLIDE) Identify your spiritual pathway/s. Take the Spiritual Pathways Inventory. In your books, or I have extra copies.

Answer the questions asked in the Developing My Spiritual Pathway Exercise or on the website and talk to your small group, your spouse, or your study partner about them—look for a way to embrace and use your spiritual pathway more fully. You have more truth in your grasp—it can set you free!

Has anybody been talking about this study regularly with one or more partners? Great!

Wednesday, we’ll be going over our Pathway Profiles here if you’d like to join us at noon. Bring your lunch.

(SLIDE) Next week: Pace of Life—one of the best lessons of the study. AND All Saint’s Day—we’ll remember and give thanks for the saints gone on before us.