Move to a Farm Upstate
Part 2 of the Spotlight series "Achievement is Passing"
ICEBREAKER
If you could swap lives with one currently living person for one day, who would it be and why?
Once you've broken the ice, see what this Spotlight is focused on by clicking the "focus" below.
If you could swap lives with one currently living person for one day, who would it be and why?
Once you've broken the ice, see what this Spotlight is focused on by clicking the "focus" below.
Let’s talk about imagining a different life.
Listen to this audio clip when you’re ready to begin today’s Spotlight.
(And welcome, by the way! It’s great that you’re here!)
Listen to this audio clip when you’re ready to begin today’s Spotlight.
(And welcome, by the way! It’s great that you’re here!)
Hopefully that makes enough sense to get you started.
Pray this prayer to get into it:
Lord,
You took on a whole new life,
leaving heaven and coming to earth
because of your truly true love.
Make our ambition more like yours;
help us to believe in something more
than a personal ideal.
Amen.
Pray this prayer to get into it:
Lord,
You took on a whole new life,
leaving heaven and coming to earth
because of your truly true love.
Make our ambition more like yours;
help us to believe in something more
than a personal ideal.
Amen.
Welcome Perspective: The ideal version of your life in God's eyes is not a far off goal.
Let’s rethink the word perfect in a way that provides rest instead of stress.
It’s a common word - perfect - especially in conversations about God and Jesus. You hear people say that Jesus was “perfect.” And there are verses in the Bible that talk about you being perfect, like, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Sounds kind of like a word that pushes you toward achievement.
Not only that, it sounds like a word that pushes you toward a level of achievement that (if you’re honest) you are certain you’ll never achieve and certainly aren’t achieving right now.
It’s a common word - perfect - especially in conversations about God and Jesus. You hear people say that Jesus was “perfect.” And there are verses in the Bible that talk about you being perfect, like, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
Sounds kind of like a word that pushes you toward achievement.
Not only that, it sounds like a word that pushes you toward a level of achievement that (if you’re honest) you are certain you’ll never achieve and certainly aren’t achieving right now.
Respond to this by singing the song "Hymn" by Brooke Ligertwood.
Worship Perspective: It's not where you are but the fact that you are there that is God's delight.
The wisest person ever to live said this: Ecclesiastes 4:4 | And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
It's a harsh indictment, yet this envy-oriented decision making is really hard to shake. There are a couple versions of the desperate moves that people who still trust in achievement make (even as achievement repeatedly proves itself to be unable to satisfy.) You find this mindset both among religious and nonreligious people - it's a common idea.
It's a harsh indictment, yet this envy-oriented decision making is really hard to shake. There are a couple versions of the desperate moves that people who still trust in achievement make (even as achievement repeatedly proves itself to be unable to satisfy.) You find this mindset both among religious and nonreligious people - it's a common idea.
Learn Perspective: Nothing can improve your situation more than God's love already has.
We're examining achievement culture in the serve sections of this series.
First, did you notice any evidence/stories/moments of achievement culture over the course of the past week?
Life Coach Amos Buelow has offered to chat with us about achievement, and we'd like your questions. Before you ask, watch this news story on Amos' practice.
First, did you notice any evidence/stories/moments of achievement culture over the course of the past week?
Life Coach Amos Buelow has offered to chat with us about achievement, and we'd like your questions. Before you ask, watch this news story on Amos' practice.
Submit your questions to info@illume.church.
Serve Perspective: Good stewardship means understanding how self-care is not selfishness.
Prayer Activity
Submit a prayer request in the Illume App!
For today, consider sharing a prayer request about your ambition and your perception of achievement. Here are some prompts to help you think about your request:
Submit a prayer request in the Illume App!
- If you're a member of a Spotlight Community, you can submit a request just for your co-Spotlighters to see and pray about. Simply login to the app and tap the "talk-bubble" icon in the top right corner.
For today, consider sharing a prayer request about your ambition and your perception of achievement. Here are some prompts to help you think about your request:
- Seeking Guidance in Ambitions:
- Post a prayer request asking for God's guidance in aligning your personal ambitions with his love for you. Share a specific goal or dream you have and ask for wisdom and direction in pursuing it in a way that keeps God firmly in view.
- Balancing Ambitions with Other Responsibilities:
- Ask for prayers to help you find a healthy balance between your ambitions and other important aspects of your life, such as family, relationships, and spiritual growth. Share your struggle in finding this balance and seek support in managing your priorities.
- Praying for Perseverance and Resilience:
- Seek prayers for perseverance and resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. Share a particular challenge you are currently facing and ask for the strength to persist and the grace to learn from this experience.
- Gratitude and Humility in Success:
- If you have recently achieved a goal or ambition, post a prayer of gratitude, asking for humility and the right heart to use your success for God’s glory. Share your achievement and ask for guidance on how to use it to bless others and further his kingdom.
Farewell Perspective: Jesus left his home because his paradise is with you.
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