Change Requires Honest Community
BY RICK WARREN — NOVEMBER 3, 2014
“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God — truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.” (Ephesians 4:21-25 NLT)
To change the defects in your life, you have to have people in your life who tell you the truth. You’re not going to get well on your own; you’re going to need other people in your life. You’re going to need support. You’re going to need a small group. Change requires honest community.
There are some things in your life you’re never ever going to be able to change on your own, typically the things that are the most difficult in your life and that you don’t want anybody else to know about.
You’re never getting over those things until you share them with someone. You don’t have to tell everybody. You just need to find one person who will trust you and whom you trust — someone who will be confidential, love you unconditionally, not be judgmental, and pray for you. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing.
This does not mean a small group where you get together on a superficial level and everyone is “fine” or “doing great.” You have to get to the level of maturity in your small group where you can say, “I had a tough week this week. Life stinks. Here’s what happened.”
“So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body” (Ephesians 4:25 NLT).
If you’re a believer, you’re also a belonger. You belong in the family of God, and every other believer belongs to you. You cannot become until you belong. You can’t become what God wants you to be until you belong in a group that’s going to have gut-level, honest community. Put away falsehood. Talk to your neighbor. Tell your friend the truth, because we belong to each other.
If you are serious about changing the deepest hang-ups in your heart, the deepest defects in your life, you’re going to have to face the fear of being honest. You’ve got to stop faking it. You’ve got to put away falsehood. You’ve got to be real.
You can go through life with one of two choices: pretending like you’ve got it all together or getting it all together. But you’ll never get it all together as long as you pretend you’ve got it all together. And you’re never going to get well, get healed, get rid of that area that’s bugging you in your life until you talk to somebody about it.
Talk About It
- How would you describe your small group’s level of transparency? Are you “real” with each other?
- What has been the result of pretending like you have it all together? How do you feel?
Nothing Wasted
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:
"When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' "
(John 6:12, NIV)
(John 6:12, NIV)
TODAY'S WORD:
The Bible tells of a time when Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand with only five loaves and two fishes. He blessed it and multiplied it. That day, everyone had more than enough to eat, and there were still twelve baskets full of bread and fish left over. That’s because we serve a God of abundance! Then Jesus told the disciples to collect all the leftovers “so that nothing is wasted.” With God, nothing is ever wasted. He’ll never waste an experience; He’ll never waste a hurt; He’ll never waste a dream; He’ll never waste even a single piece of bread.
If you’ve felt like you’ve wasted years of your life in the wrong job, hanging around the wrong people or doing the wrong things, God will gather those years and restore them to you. He’ll take those experiences that the enemy meant for your harm and turn them around for your good. He’ll make you stronger, wiser and better off than you were before. He can launch you further into your destiny than before. Be encouraged today because with God, all things are possible! He is your provider, and nothing is ever wasted!
If you’ve felt like you’ve wasted years of your life in the wrong job, hanging around the wrong people or doing the wrong things, God will gather those years and restore them to you. He’ll take those experiences that the enemy meant for your harm and turn them around for your good. He’ll make you stronger, wiser and better off than you were before. He can launch you further into your destiny than before. Be encouraged today because with God, all things are possible! He is your provider, and nothing is ever wasted!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Father, I give You every bit of my life, my past, my present and my future. Thank You for taking every experience and turning it around for my good. I know that with You, nothing is ever wasted in Jesus’ name! Amen.
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