Transforming Life's Trajectory: Embracing Change and Growth

 

Summary

In today's reflection, I began by posing a question: What is the trajectory of your life? Just as we track the growth and changes in our church attendance, we must also examine the direction of our personal lives. Using the story of Jerry, a young man whose life changed after a spiritual retreat, I illustrated how one's trajectory can shift from pursuing sin to fleeing from it. This change is not about achieving perfection but about altering the course of our lives towards spiritual growth and maturity.

We explored the foundational steps of change, rooted in the principles that originated from a Bible study group known as the Oxford Group. These steps emphasize admitting our powerlessness, believing in a power greater than ourselves, and making a decision to turn our lives over to God. The focus today was on Step Six: being entirely ready to have God remove all defects of character. This step is crucial because it requires a willingness to change, not just a desire for different outcomes.

The Bible provides guidance on this journey. In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the pain that leads to repentance and change, emphasizing that sometimes discomfort is necessary for growth. Similarly, James encourages us to humble ourselves before God, resist the devil, and purify our hearts. This process involves acknowledging our shortcomings and being willing to let God transform us.

The challenges of this step are significant. Many of us struggle with the idea of perfection, fearing that we cannot meet such high standards. Others settle for just getting by, ironing only the visible parts of our lives while ignoring deeper issues. True change requires a willingness to address all areas of our lives, not just the ones we are comfortable with.

Ultimately, the journey of change is about progress, not perfection. It involves determining the trajectory of our lives, waking up to our defects, praying for God's help, and enlisting the support of others. By doing so, we can make the great exchange of our will for God's will, allowing Him to guide us towards a life of spiritual and moral growth.

Key Takeaways:

1. Trajectory of Life: The trajectory of our lives is not about achieving perfection but about changing direction towards spiritual growth. Like Jerry, who shifted from pursuing sin to fleeing from it, we must be willing to alter our course and embrace a new path. This change is a journey, not a destination. [04:40]

2. Willingness to Change: Step Six emphasizes the importance of being entirely ready to have God remove our defects of character. This requires a willingness to change, not just a desire for different outcomes. True transformation begins with a heart that is open to God's work. [08:35]

3. Biblical Guidance: The Bible provides guidance on the journey of change. In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the pain that leads to repentance, while James encourages us to humble ourselves before God. These scriptures remind us that discomfort can lead to growth and that humility is key to drawing near to God. [13:40]

4. Challenges of Change: Many of us struggle with the idea of perfection, fearing that we cannot meet such high standards. Others settle for just getting by, addressing only the visible parts of our lives. True change requires a willingness to address all areas, not just the ones we are comfortable with. [20:06]

5. Progress, Not Perfection: The journey of change is about progress, not perfection. It involves determining the trajectory of our lives, waking up to our defects, praying for God's help, and enlisting the support of others. By doing so, we can make the great exchange of our will for God's will, allowing Him to guide us towards a life of spiritual and moral growth. [25:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:00] - Questioning Life's Trajectory
- [04:40] - Jerry's Story: A Change in Direction
- [08:35] - Understanding Step Six
- [13:40] - Biblical Insights on Change
- [20:06] - Challenges of Perfection and Settling
- [25:55] - The Great Exchange: Our Will for God's Will
- [29:02] - Overcoming Excuses for Change
- [32:49] - The Danger of Just Getting By
- [35:18] - Loving Our Defects
- [40:00] - The Role of Honesty and Accountability
- [45:00] - Determining Your Trajectory
- [50:00] - Waking Up to Our Defects
- [55:00] - Praying for Willingness
- [01:00] - Enlisting Support for Change

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 7:8-9
2. James 4:7-10

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Observation Questions:

1. In Jerry's story, what was the significant change in his life trajectory after the spiritual retreat? How did his perspective on sin change? [04:40]

2. What are the foundational steps of change mentioned in the sermon, and how do they relate to the principles of the Oxford Group? [08:35]

3. According to the sermon, what does Step Six involve, and why is it considered challenging? [13:40]

4. How does the sermon describe the difference between saying "I'm sorry" and being truly ready to change one's behavior? [20:06]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the pain that leads to repentance, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 7:8-9, relate to the concept of spiritual growth and change discussed in the sermon? [13:40]

2. In James 4:7-10, what does it mean to humble oneself before God, and how does this humility facilitate spiritual transformation? [20:06]

3. The sermon discusses the challenges of perfection and settling for less. How can these challenges hinder one's spiritual growth and willingness to change? [29:02]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of honesty and accountability in the process of spiritual transformation? [35:18]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life trajectory. Are there areas where you feel you are running towards sin rather than away from it? What steps can you take to change this direction? [04:40]

2. Step Six emphasizes being entirely ready to have God remove defects of character. Are there specific defects you are holding onto? What would it take for you to be willing to let them go? [08:35]

3. The sermon highlights the importance of discomfort in growth. Can you identify a recent situation where discomfort led to personal growth? How can you embrace discomfort as a catalyst for change? [13:40]

4. Consider the idea of progress, not perfection. How can you focus on making small, consistent changes in your spiritual life rather than striving for immediate perfection? [25:55]

5. The sermon mentions the danger of just getting by and only addressing visible issues. Are there hidden areas in your life that need attention? How can you begin to address them? [32:49]

6. How can you incorporate the practice of humility, as described in James 4:7-10, into your daily life to draw nearer to God? [20:06]

7. Think about someone you trust who can support you in your spiritual journey. How can you enlist their help in holding you accountable for the changes you want to make? [35:18]

Devotional

Day 1: Altering Life's Trajectory Towards Spiritual Growth
In life, the direction we choose to follow is more important than the destination we aim to reach. The story of Jerry illustrates how a life once entangled in sin can be redirected towards spiritual growth and maturity. This transformation is not about achieving perfection but about making a conscious decision to change course. By examining the trajectory of our lives, we can identify areas where we need to shift our focus from worldly pursuits to spiritual development. This journey is ongoing, requiring continuous reflection and adjustment to ensure we are moving towards a deeper relationship with God. [04:40]

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.' But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'"

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to alter the trajectory of your life towards spiritual growth and away from worldly distractions?


Day 2: Embracing Willingness for True Change
True transformation begins with a heart that is entirely ready to let God remove all defects of character. This willingness to change is more than just a desire for different outcomes; it is an openness to God's work in our lives. Step Six of the spiritual journey emphasizes this readiness, highlighting the importance of surrendering our imperfections to God. By doing so, we allow Him to mold us into the individuals He intends us to be. This process requires humility and a genuine commitment to personal growth, trusting that God will guide us through the necessary changes. [08:35]

Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."

Reflection: Are you truly willing to let God remove your defects of character, and what might be holding you back from fully embracing this change?


Day 3: Biblical Insights on the Journey of Change
The Bible offers profound guidance on the journey of change, emphasizing the role of discomfort and humility in spiritual growth. In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the pain that leads to repentance, while James encourages believers to humble themselves before God. These scriptures remind us that growth often comes through challenges and that humility is essential in drawing near to God. By acknowledging our shortcomings and seeking God's help, we can experience the transformative power of His grace in our lives. [13:40]

Hebrews 12:11 (ESV): "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."

Reflection: How can you embrace discomfort and humility as tools for spiritual growth in your current circumstances?


Day 4: Overcoming the Challenges of Perfectionism
Many people struggle with the idea of perfection, fearing they cannot meet such high standards. Others settle for just getting by, addressing only the visible parts of their lives while ignoring deeper issues. True change requires a willingness to confront all areas of our lives, not just the ones we are comfortable with. By acknowledging our imperfections and seeking God's guidance, we can overcome the fear of perfectionism and strive for genuine progress in our spiritual journey. [20:06]

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What areas of your life have you been avoiding due to fear of imperfection, and how can you begin to address them with God's help?


Day 5: Progress Over Perfection in Spiritual Growth
The journey of change is about progress, not perfection. It involves determining the trajectory of our lives, waking up to our defects, praying for God's help, and enlisting the support of others. By making the great exchange of our will for God's will, we allow Him to guide us towards a life of spiritual and moral growth. This process requires patience and perseverance, as we learn to trust in God's plan and rely on His strength to overcome our weaknesses. [25:55]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Reflection: In what ways can you focus on progress rather than perfection in your spiritual journey, and who can you enlist to support you in this process?

Quotes


This is my pretend guy, Jerry. Jerry is a teenager and he went to a youth group and an actual retreat as often as the case. And it changed his life. And he was very excited to go back to school, his public school, in fact, and share this. He couldn't wait to get back. He finally did. They had this time during a homeroom in their school where they kind of share about. The highlights and whatnot of of their weekends and whatnot. And so he couldn't wait. And his opportunity came and he he before the entire class said, this weekend I became saved. [00:01:33] (40 seconds)


And Jerry replied, well, before I was a sinner running after sin, but now I'm a sinner running away from sin. You see, that weekend, though, there were still lows. Jerry still argued with his parents, still thought in some areas they weren't very smart and whatever in his life. The trajectory of his life had changed, though, where before Jerry was pretty much interested in doing what feels good and what he can get away with. [00:02:41] (34 seconds)


And out of that Bible study, called the Oxford Group, they came up with 12 principles. Started actually with eight principles that came in 12 steps. And they came up with 12 principles that came in 12 steps. That ultimately worked to changing lives. And so we've covered the first five so far. Number one is we admitted we were powerless and that our lives had become unmanageable. So the first step is to understand we have a dilemma and it's a lack of power. Step two, we came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. In other words, in step two, we're given the solution to that powerlessness. [00:04:07] (33 seconds)


The number four is, was a very interesting turn. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. We honestly looked at ourselves and we said, OK, in my life, what has really gone wrong? Remember, we kind of said, if you can't name the chain that binds you, you can't experience change. You'd be able to name it for it to change. And then last week, we looked at step five. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. In other words, confession was the key to unlocking that chain. Once you understand this is the chain, we got to confess. And that unlocks the chain. [00:05:01] (40 seconds)


And so those churches often don't change. And that, of course, is true of people as well. Which brings us to step six. Very important. It's one thing to say you want something different. It's another thing to do it. Step six is we were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Seems simple, but it's not. Not at the least bit. So we're going to talk about three aspects of this step. We're going to talk about what it is, what the Bible has to say about it, and then the challenges of the step. [00:07:04] (37 seconds)


And it isn't about exterior change. There's something that fundamentally keeps leading us back to that thing. And so you admit that. I will also tell you, though, that as you experience change, you begin to learn. And the things that you thought were the problem are not. They're actually different problems. And your eyes begin to open up to things that you never thought were wrong in the first place. So it begins. It begins with the things you in the list. But then that list begins to grow because then you begin to realize, you know what? The real issue really isn't just my anger. The real issue is that I am upset that the world won't live the way I think it should live. That's the fundamental issue. [00:08:38] (40 seconds)


And so it's God who removes the defects of our character. It's God's work that changes us, but our work is to be willing to let him do his work. Think about Jesus' call when he first called his disciples. Right, he turned to them and said, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. They had a decision to make, follow me. The end result was he was gonna make them, he was gonna have them join him on this mission, which is to take God's love and good news to the world. But that middle part, I will make you. He didn't say, follow me, and I'm gonna teach you to do what you need to do. Follow me, show me some self -discipline. Follow me, get holy. And that's it. And then you'll join me on my mission. [00:10:01] (47 seconds)


And Paul's basically saying the same thing. I'm sorry that I hurt you, but it wasn't a good thing because it had a good result. As a matter of fact, he says here, this pain was causing you to repent and change your ways. I want to focus really quickly. I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time here on that word repent. It's a Greek word which is actually based on words for thoughts or intentions. It literally means to change one's mind. But it's more than just the way you think. It's what you do. The best way to describe it is 180 degree turn. So you're heading this way to repent. It's to wholly go the opposite direction. [00:18:05] (43 seconds)


And that is in essence what he's saying is he's saying what happened was you were heading on a trajectory of unhealth that was destroying you, even though you got something out of it. And what I'm thrilled is even though it was sorrow for you and my words hurt you and whatnot, what it caused you to do is change the trajectory of your life. To take a deep look at yourself and rather than embracing those broken things in your life or making excuses for them, beginning to run away from them. Here's James. Remember, James is a key book that they developed all these principles from. So here's James chapter 4, 7 through 10. He says this. James says, [00:18:38] (50 seconds)


And so the more tears and sorrow and grief and sadness, the more you understand the beast that's chasing you, that destroyed you, the faster you're going to move in the other direction and the quicker you're going to get actually to be where you want to be. That's the issue, isn't it? It isn't. It's like Paul saying, I don't want you. I don't want you to feel these things. But if the result is, if you get through that 15, 30 minutes of no, no, no, no, no. No, but the result is, and a better relationship and a better day. Well, then it was a good thing, not a bad thing. And I think that's something our society is struggling with is how much struggle is healthy and how much struggle is not, right? We talk about a hand out versus a hand up. A hand up is definitely needed, but a hand out often does not help people. [00:25:36] (60 seconds)


And let me tell you, coming to church is good, but that's not doing it. Reading your Bible is good, but that's not doing it. Religious activity should get you to this place. It all helps you turn over your will, but that's not it. That's what Jesus came in. And he was really harsh against people that only made it about religious activity. It was literally dying to self, dying to your will. The 12 steps and 12 traditions puts it this way. He says, if we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelicts. But in no case does he render us white as snow and keep us that way without our cooperation. [00:27:23] (36 seconds)


So I'm gonna have the team come up, and I want them to share a song, but as they do, I want to talk about the second quote. It says here, therefore, it seems plain that few of us can quickly or easily become ready to aim at spiritual and moral perfection. We want to settle for only as much perfection as we will get us by in life, just enough. Accordingly, of course, to our various and sundry ideas of what will get us by. In other words, just enough. [00:36:43] (29 seconds)


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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?