Embracing Growth: Lessons from Jesus for the New Year
Summary
At the start of a new year, we often find ourselves reflecting on areas where we need to grow and change. This reflection is an opportunity to learn from the life of Jesus, who modeled intentional growth in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man. Jesus exemplified a life of curiosity and learning, staying behind to learn from teachers, and demonstrating a willingness to step out of comfort zones. This teaches us the importance of being lifelong learners, regardless of age, and the value of curiosity in our spiritual journey.
Jesus' growth was holistic, encompassing mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. He prepared for future opportunities by intentionally developing these areas, reminding us of the importance of readiness and anticipation. Rest was also a crucial component of Jesus' life, highlighting the need for self-care and intentional rest in our fast-paced culture. This rest allows us to connect deeply with God, fostering a relationship that brings favor and guidance.
Relational growth was another aspect of Jesus' life. He demonstrated the power of words and actions in building relationships, encouraging us to use our words to uplift others. This relational component is vital in our interactions, as it reflects the character of Christ and builds favor with those around us.
To apply these lessons, we can use the "CORE" process: Call it, Own it, Respond, and Execute. This process helps us identify areas for growth, take responsibility, lead ourselves intentionally, and take action. By focusing on one area at a time, we can make meaningful changes in our lives. As we enter the new year, we are challenged to identify one area for growth, let go of what holds us back, and embrace the choices that lead to a better, stronger self.
Key Takeaways:
1. Lifelong Learning and Curiosity: Jesus' life exemplifies the importance of being a lifelong learner. His willingness to learn from others, even as a child, teaches us to remain curious and open to growth at any age. This curiosity is essential for spiritual development and understanding God's purpose for us. [08:15]
2. Holistic Growth and Readiness: Jesus' growth was comprehensive, involving mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. This holistic approach prepares us for future opportunities and challenges, emphasizing the need for readiness and anticipation in our personal development. [14:04]
3. The Importance of Rest: Jesus modeled the necessity of rest, which is often overlooked in our busy culture. Rest is crucial for self-care and spiritual connection, allowing us to recharge and align with God's will. It is a vital component of living a balanced and purposeful life. [19:46]
4. Relational Growth and Favor: Jesus' interactions with others highlight the power of words and actions in building relationships. By using our words to encourage and uplift, we can build favor with those around us, reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives. [22:55]
5. Intentional Growth through the CORE Process: The CORE process—Call it, Own it, Respond, Execute—provides a framework for intentional growth. By identifying areas for improvement, taking responsibility, and taking action, we can make meaningful changes in our lives and become better versions of ourselves. [30:46]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [04:56] - The Shift in Mindset
- [08:15] - Lifelong Learning and Curiosity
- [11:26] - Holistic Growth and Readiness
- [14:04] - The Importance of Rest
- [19:46] - Relational Growth and Favor
- [22:55] - The Power of Words
- [27:45] - Introducing the CORE Process
- [30:46] - Call it: Identifying Opportunities
- [33:32] - Own it: Taking Responsibility
- [37:48] - Respond and Execute: Taking Action
- [40:00] - Embracing Choices for Growth
- [42:00] - Conclusion and Challenge
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 2:52: "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."
Observation Questions:
1. How did Jesus demonstrate a willingness to learn and grow, even as a child? [08:15]
2. What are the four areas of growth mentioned in Luke 2:52, and how did Jesus exemplify growth in each of these areas? [11:26]
3. How did Jesus model the importance of rest, and why is it significant in our fast-paced culture? [19:46]
4. What role did Jesus' words and actions play in building relationships and gaining favor with others? [22:55]
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to be a lifelong learner in the context of spiritual growth, and how does Jesus' example challenge us in this area? [08:15]
2. How can holistic growth, as demonstrated by Jesus, prepare us for future opportunities and challenges in our lives? [14:04]
3. In what ways does intentional rest contribute to our spiritual connection with God, and how can we incorporate this into our daily lives? [19:46]
4. How can the CORE process (Call it, Own it, Respond, Execute) be applied to our personal growth, and what impact might it have on our spiritual journey? [30:46]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current level of curiosity and willingness to learn. What steps can you take to become more open to growth in your spiritual journey? [08:15]
2. Identify one area of your life where you desire holistic growth (mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual). What specific actions can you take to develop in this area? [14:04]
3. Consider your current approach to rest and self-care. How can you intentionally create space for rest to enhance your spiritual connection with God? [19:46]
4. Think about your recent interactions with others. How can you use your words and actions to build positive relationships and reflect the character of Christ? [22:55]
5. Using the CORE process, identify one area for growth in your life. What is the first step you will take to address this area, and how will you hold yourself accountable? [30:46]
6. As you enter the new year, what is one thing you need to let go of to embrace growth and become a better version of yourself? [33:32]
7. How can you incorporate intentional reflection and anticipation into your daily routine to prepare for future opportunities and challenges? [14:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace Lifelong Curiosity
Jesus' life serves as a profound example of the importance of being a lifelong learner. His willingness to learn from others, even as a child, teaches us to remain curious and open to growth at any age. This curiosity is essential for spiritual development and understanding God's purpose for us. Jesus demonstrated a life of curiosity and learning, staying behind to learn from teachers, and stepping out of comfort zones. This teaches us the importance of being lifelong learners, regardless of age, and the value of curiosity in our spiritual journey. [08:15]
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52, ESV)
Reflection: What is one new area of knowledge or skill you feel God is inviting you to explore this year? How can you take a step today to begin learning in that area?
Day 2: Pursue Holistic Growth
Jesus' growth was comprehensive, involving mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. This holistic approach prepares us for future opportunities and challenges, emphasizing the need for readiness and anticipation in our personal development. Jesus prepared for future opportunities by intentionally developing these areas, reminding us of the importance of readiness and anticipation. By focusing on holistic growth, we can be better equipped to face life's challenges and fulfill our God-given potential. [14:04]
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: In which area of your life—mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual—do you feel the most need for growth? What specific steps can you take this week to develop in that area?
Day 3: Prioritize Rest and Connection
Jesus modeled the necessity of rest, which is often overlooked in our busy culture. Rest is crucial for self-care and spiritual connection, allowing us to recharge and align with God's will. It is a vital component of living a balanced and purposeful life. By taking time to rest, we can connect deeply with God, fostering a relationship that brings favor and guidance. In our fast-paced world, it is essential to prioritize rest to maintain balance and purpose. [19:46]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally incorporate rest into your weekly routine to ensure you are spiritually and physically recharged? What changes can you make today to prioritize this rest?
Day 4: Cultivate Relational Growth
Jesus' interactions with others highlight the power of words and actions in building relationships. By using our words to encourage and uplift, we can build favor with those around us, reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives. Relational growth was a significant aspect of Jesus' life, and He demonstrated the power of words and actions in building relationships. This relational component is vital in our interactions, as it reflects the character of Christ and builds favor with those around us. [22:55]
"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: Think of a relationship in your life that could benefit from more intentional words of encouragement. How can you speak life into that relationship today?
Day 5: Implement the CORE Process for Growth
The CORE process—Call it, Own it, Respond, Execute—provides a framework for intentional growth. By identifying areas for improvement, taking responsibility, and taking action, we can make meaningful changes in our lives and become better versions of ourselves. This process helps us identify areas for growth, take responsibility, lead ourselves intentionally, and take action. By focusing on one area at a time, we can make meaningful changes in our lives. [30:46]
"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you feel God is calling you to grow? How can you apply the CORE process to make progress in that area starting today?
Quotes
"Yeah, very good. I think there's definitely a shift that happens in our mindset at the beginning of the year. So I think the timing of this is really well where we think of new year, new opportunities. Where do I need to change? Where do I need to really grow? So I'm excited to kind of dig in today and just really what can we learn together in how Jesus modeled his own life to us?" [00:02:22] (21 seconds)
"Years ago, a mentor had once told me there's a time to be a student and there's a time to be a teacher. It's like this two-sided coin. And I see how that is really just a lifestyle. It doesn't matter what our age is, there's times where we can just be a student. And that's exactly what he was doing. He was just being a student because there was a time, certainly he was a teacher, that he had modeled that towards us. So I think some of those qualities of just how do you actually grow in wisdom, he showed that to us just in that particular situation itself." [00:08:15] (33 seconds)
"Yeah, because you think about it, he didn't need to do it. But he actually intentionally chose to do that as a way to what? Grow in his wisdom. And I think there's not a certain age by any means. I think that was one thing in my own life of thinking, well, maybe I got to be an adult before this can happen, that you can start this as a young child to continually desire and just remain curious of what can I actually learn to this year capacity." [00:10:06] (27 seconds)
"No, not at all. Not for this level of content. I think there's definitely a level of holistic of when you start to look at it and you pull it back some, it's where did he actually, how did he actually grow mentally? How did he actually grow physically, certainly from that aspect? But how did he grow spiritually? I mean, there's a whole component itself that I think we can learn from this here passage." [00:12:42] (27 seconds)
"Yeah, you think about screaming and yelling doesn't seem to bring too much favor does it you know but you start to think about his his spirit of just of listening goes back into asking good questions but I would fully agree there was a level where he was encouraging I think it can happen for us today there's some of the items that i that i see is is just the power of our words right we have a lot of power in the words that we've been given itself and we can use those words to either build up people or tear them down." [00:21:51] (30 seconds)
"Yeah, you're exactly right and that speaks into a lot of what I see and I can so relate it into my own life there's a lot of items what I call where we're aspirational is we kind of in the moment so to speak oh I want to change this but we really don't look from a level of intentionality of really going a little bit deeper into saying okay who do I really want to become which asks us a deeper question in itself." [00:26:16] (25 seconds)
"Yeah, I think the key and I know we need to wrap this up is there's choices, isn't there? I think sometimes we can find ourself in a place and we forget that there's choices because we feel maybe this hopelessness or this helplessness out there. But there's choices in which we can do every day in which to become. better and stronger in these areas. Absolutely." [00:36:32] (23 seconds)
"Yeah I think God speaks into there's definitely a timing there where God maybe convicts us or he brings items to the surface and there's an opportunity there to learn but the sooner we can take that into a space of okay how can I apply some action to that and that's where you know having that core process it's easy to kind of it's kind of sticky that way it's easy to retain that to say okay and then remind yourself of like okay here's what it is so it may just be putting a post-it note on your steering wheel or just beside your your computer itself but just reminders along the way to say okay here's the one thing that I'm committed to actually doing itself and it's the level of not just intentionality but the level of consistency and over the course of time things begin to change and you become better itself yeah." [00:37:48] (53 seconds)
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