It’s Time to Move! Sample

  

Have you ever been caught in a broken relationship? When someone offends us or hurts us, we often play back those moments over and over again in our heads. Our anger, disappointment, worry, or seeming feelings of rejection build within us as we rehearse what happened, what they did, and how it made us feel. 

These broken thought patterns can ruin our day at a moment’s notice—and if we’re not careful, they can ruin our lives.

Genesis 4 tells us a famous story of two brothers, Cain and Abel. Both bring offerings to God, but Abel’s is accepted and Cain’s is not. Cain is filled with disappointment and anger, and God tells him plainly that Cain will be accepted if he overcomes this. 

.God warns that if he doesn’t control his emotions, then his sin, which crouches in wait like a lion, will consume him.

In the same way, when we let our emotions define our identity, we risk not only ruining our day but setting in motion a pattern of thought that can derail God’s plan for our lives.

What do we do in response? 

First, we learn to notice patterns of thought. Try to notice when you rehearse a moment in your head over and over. Or look for the same issue coming up in multiple areas of life: in your family, at work, in church. Does that moment represent an opinion or the infallibility of God’s truth?

Second, we look for physical cues. Sometimes our body tells us there’s a problem before our mind catches on. Take note of sicknesses, chronic headaches, insomnia, teeth grinding, or other ailments. These might be cues God wants you to notice—evidence of an internal battle needing God’s deliverance.

Whether you feel overlooked, mistreated, anxious, or angry, notice those moments and your physical reactions. It’s often through our pain that God shines a light on the areas of our life that he desires to change—a change we can confidently pursue as God is a very present help in the time of trouble.

Finally, move from self-condemnation to dependence on God. David writes in Psalm 32 that keeping silent only causes us to waste away inside. But when we bring our confession to God, we receive strength, love, and joy. We also receive power from God to overcome every system of thought which would try to hinder us. 

Make no mistake—our words have power, and the devil wants us to use our words against us so that we miss the will of God. This is an attempt to cause us to come into an agreement, by way of confession, with a false narrative. God desires to set us free from the trap of the devil and lead us towards an abundant life. But the choice is ours—to reject every lie and courageously pursue truth. It’s time for us to move!

Scripture: Ruth 2

Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:25-26

Scripture: Psalm 32

Discussion question: What false identities do you need to confess to God and others?