Embracing Change Through Curiosity and Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Change with Divine Guidance

Change is an inevitable part of life, and it presents an opportunity to grow and improve with God's guidance. Embracing change with purpose means recognizing that while we cannot control every aspect of our lives, we can choose how we respond to the changes we face. By leaning on our faith, we can approach change with a positive mindset, trusting that God is with us every step of the way. This perspective allows us to see change not as a threat but as a chance to become better versions of ourselves. [00:40]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one change you are currently facing, and how can you invite God to guide you through it today?

Day 2: Curiosity as a Pathway to Growth

Curiosity is a vital character strength that enables us to engage deeply with our faith and the world. It is not about having all the answers but about being open to learning and growing. By cultivating curiosity, we allow ourselves to explore new ideas and perspectives, which can lead to a richer and more meaningful spiritual journey. Curiosity encourages us to ask questions and seek understanding, helping us to grow in our faith and our relationships with others. [01:11]

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your faith or life where you can practice curiosity today, and what steps can you take to explore it further?

Day 3: Rooted in Christ, Free to Explore

Being rooted in Christ allows us to be curious without fear. Curiosity is not a threat to faith but a means to deepen it, enabling us to connect with others and explore our beliefs authentically. When we are secure in our relationship with Christ, we can engage with diverse perspectives and questions, knowing that our faith is strong enough to withstand exploration. This openness can lead to deeper connections with others and a more profound understanding of our beliefs. [04:11]

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: How can you engage with someone who has different beliefs today, and what can you learn from their perspective?

Day 4: Authentic Relationships Through Openness

By showing that we are still learning, we create space for authentic relationships with non-believers. Our openness can be refreshing and inviting, demonstrating that faith is a journey. When we approach others with a willingness to learn and grow, we build trust and understanding, which can lead to meaningful connections. This authenticity allows us to share our faith in a way that is genuine and relatable, inviting others to join us on the journey. [05:48]

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:6, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person you can reach out to today to build a more authentic relationship, and how can you show openness in your conversation with them?

Day 5: Cultivating a Beginner's Mind

Adopting a posture of wonder and inquiry, akin to a "Beginner's mind," allows us to engage with our faith and the world with fresh eyes. This mindset encourages us to ask questions and embrace the unknown, leading to a deeper understanding of our beliefs and a more vibrant spiritual life. By cultivating a beginner's mind, we remain open to new insights and experiences, allowing us to grow continuously in our faith journey. [10:44]

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one new question you can ask about your faith today, and how can you seek answers with a beginner's mind?

Sermon Summary

Change is an inevitable part of life, and today presents an opportunity to embrace it for the better, with God's guidance. We explored the concept of character strengths, focusing on curiosity, which is often misunderstood in the context of faith. Curiosity is not about passively accepting what is told but actively engaging with the world and our beliefs. It is a strength that can be developed and nurtured, allowing us to flourish and contribute meaningfully to others.

Curiosity, or open-mindedness, involves taking a deep interest in something for its own sake. It is a trait that can be cultivated, even in environments that challenge our beliefs. Shauna Pilgrim, co-founder of Epic Church, shared her experiences of fostering curiosity in a faith context, particularly in a diverse and questioning environment like San Francisco. She emphasized that being rooted in Christ frees us to be curious, enabling us to navigate relationships and conversations with those exploring their beliefs.

Curiosity is not a sign of weak faith but a pathway to deeper understanding and connection. It allows us to engage with others authentically, showing that we are still learning and growing. This openness can be refreshing to non-believers, demonstrating that faith is a journey of continuous exploration rather than a destination with all the answers.

In our spiritual journey, curiosity is foundational to discipleship. It invites us to ask questions and seek understanding, much like the disciples did with Jesus. Curiosity is not opposed to faith; rather, it complements it by encouraging us to explore and deepen our relationship with God. Today, we are encouraged to cultivate a "Beginner's mind," adopting a posture of wonder and inquiry. By asking questions and seeking to learn, we can embrace change and grow in our faith.

Key Takeaways

1. believers. Our openness can be refreshing and inviting, demonstrating that faith is a journey. [05:48]
5. Cultivating a Beginner's Mind: Adopting a posture of wonder and inquiry, akin to a "Beginner's mind," allows us to engage with our faith and the world with fresh eyes. This mindset encourages us to ask questions and embrace the unknown.

** [05:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:40] - Embracing Change
[00:55] - Exploring Character Strengths
[01:11] - The Power of Curiosity
[01:39] - Introduction to Shauna Pilgrim
[02:31] - Faith and Curiosity
[03:16] - Developing Curiosity
[04:11] - Curiosity and Faith
[05:09] - Encouraging Curiosity
[06:31] - Questions About the Afterlife
[07:43] - Translating Jesus
[08:22] - Curiosity and Listening
[09:44] - Curiosity in Discipleship
[10:28] - Cultivating Curiosity
[11:02] - Conclusion and Challenge

Sermon Clips

today a remarkable thing is going to happen today you're going to change For Better or For Worse on purpose or by accident with God's help or all by yourself one way or another you're going to change the day so why not make it for the better why not do that together with God and by the way you will never get the chance to change today again after this day so change starts today [00:00:28]

curiosity you might think about it as open-mindedness taking a deep interest in something for its own sake finding topics fascinating and especially glad because I get to talk today to Shauna pilgrim Shauna is a friend she and her husband Ben Nancy and I have gotten to go out for reels with and she is a co-founder of Epic Church in the San Francisco area which is a fascinating place to start a church [00:01:21]

a lot of times when people think about faith they almost think that it's anti-curiosity and uh sometimes people look even at the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and they think that Eve got in trouble for being curious and God kind of slapped her on the wrist like we're just supposed to passively submit to whatever the authorities tell us and not be curious [00:02:49]

what I've come to learn is that being rooted and grounded in Christ freeze frees us it frees us to be curious so that we can navigate relationships and conversations with people who are trying to figure out what they believe so I think curiosity is something worth pursuing and something worth developing as Christians [00:04:08]

I think that curious people people who aren't quite sure what they believe in yet they don't have that Faith Foundation they have to put their their faith in Jesus I think from my experience they want to know that I'm curious I think maybe for the longest time I thought that oh no they need to say that I've got it all together and I've got it figured out [00:05:09]

what is so refreshing for my non-Christian friends is that they see that I don't have it all figured out that I'm still learning and growing that I haven't arrived yet so I think it gives them some refreshment that as if they choose as they choose to put their faith in Jesus that it's something that they get to continue to grow and explore and not something that they just arrive at [00:05:37]

curious people listen well and I think that that's something to consider maybe backtracking to a question you asked earlier that we even practice with Alphas that curious people are good listeners and I think that's one thing that we can take away with that but in the in the book translating Jesus I I take us to three places that Jesus spent time at [00:08:09]

what I love that we get to see in the life of Jesus is that as he was at all three places he was there with those who believed and he was there with those who didn't believe that it did not change his identity it didn't change his rootedness in his father and I love that he models that for us that we can be rooted and grounded as we are in society [00:08:49]

curiosity is really the foundational requirement for discipleship you know come and see Andrew would say to his brother you know I found and and to be curious about Jesus what do you have to say is this really true and it's interesting uh they had been disciples for quite a while when Jesus asked them who do you say that I am they still didn't know at that point [00:09:41]

curiosity can be cultivated curiosity is a learned skill curiosity is not in opposition to having a commitment of Faith so today ask questions a love uh in Buddhism often they will talk about The Beginner's mind where instead of assuming yep already know they're been there done that bought the T-shirt uh I become interested and I adopt a posture of Wonder and not knowing [00:10:21]

I was talking to a friend yesterday who uh uh has suffered the loss of somebody in his life and was just asking about what do you think happens after you die and I was keenly aware in the moment I know what I'm supposed to say I'm a pastor and I'm also aware of the fact that uh for anybody who's human in this world there is so much mystery and unknown [00:06:25]

Dallas Willard used to say that often when people go to church we are so paralyzed but we know we're by what we know we're supposed to believe that if we found out what people who go to church actually believe many pastors who are horrified and I think often for a lot of pastors if they find out what they actually believe as opposed to what what it is that you think that you are supposed to believe [00:07:06]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?