Discernment is the holy process of listening for God in a way that seeks to understand God's will and align one's self with it. One of the tools I have found particularly helpful in practicing discernment is the Weslyan Quadrilaterial to reach a decision in which one can R.E.S.T.
Using Reason (pros and cons list), Experience (self-knowledge and the wisdom that comes from the experience of others), Scripture (how does God's Word speak to this situation?), and Tradition (how does our faith tradition, our culture, and our community inform us?), decision-making becomes clearer. Practicing discernment -- or holy listening -- for decision-making is life-changing for those who practice it. Where in your life could you benefit from a more discerning approach in order to align your will with God's?
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Call to Confession
What shall God do with you, O Ephraim? What shall God do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. (Hosea 6:4) Let us confess our sin before God, and bow before God's throne in humility. Prayer of Confession, Pentecost +6, Year A We believed your words and sang your praise, but soon we forgot your works and did not wait for your counsel. We pretend to seek you daily, delighting to know your ways, as if we were a nation of righteousness, as if we did not forsake the judgment of our God. We flatter you with our mouths and lie to you with our tongues. Our hearts are not steadfast toward you, nor are we faithful to your covenant. Forgive us, O God. O God, in your mercy, forgive us. Amid tribulation and persecution, we have abandoned your law of love ... we have allowed our impatience and our self-righteousness to override our love for neighbor and our commitment to your call on our lives. Renew our energy. Remind us to use our ability to reason. Recreate our lives through spirited imagination. Reignite the spark of love in us that identifies us as children of God. In the name of Jesus Christ we plead. Assurance of God's Grace Though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. (Galatians 4:14) In the name of Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you. Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day~ Come, you who have heard the Word
but do not understand it. Come, and hear God speak to you anew. Come, you who rejoiced in the Word when you heard it, but have wilted under the heat of life trials. Come, and grow roots to sustain you in these times. Come, you who have been sown among weeds and had God's Word in choked out of you by thorns. Come, and be replanted where you have room to explore. Come, you who have grown and prospered in good soil, and share your passion for the Word that strengthens and sustains you. Come, and worship your Creator! 7/4/2020 0 Comments Prayers of the People, P+5, ADear God in Heaven,
help us. We are so divided. There are those who feel strongly ... Prayers of the People, P+5, A, posted: https://revgalblogpals.org/2020/07/04/sunday-prayer-rest-for-the-soul/ The spiritual practice for July is discernment. Discernment is about more than understanding or decision-making. It is about the holy process of listening for God in a way that seeks to understand God's will and align one's self with it.
Practicing discernment requires a yoking with Christ ... a walking alongside in order to learn from him. This week's passage promises that Jesus' yoke is easy, and the burden light. That doesn't mean doing God's will is easy. It means that learning the law of love is easy if we open our hearts to it. This week, practice reading scripture for understanding instead of affirmation of your previous beliefs, and then applying this new understanding to your actions. Engage in this practice with others who can offer different insights and ideas about what the passage might mean. What new revelations do you find when prayerfully approaching scripture in this way? If you're willing, share your experiences in the comments below. 7/1/2020 0 Comments Prayer of Confession, P+5, ACall to Confession
For (our) iniquities have gone over (our) heads; like heavy burdens, they are too heavy for us. (Psa.m 38:4) Let us confess our sin before God and seek God's mercy. Prayer of Confession, Pentecost +5, Year A To what do you compare this generation, O God? We behave worse than children, yelling at one another over differences of opinion, allowing those differences to divide us one from another within communities and even within families. Our hypocrisy is blatant; we wear it as a badge of honor. Truly in the name of privilege, we behave like fools. Forgive us, Parent God, though we hardly deserve it. Open our eyes to our own irrationality. Teach us the wisdom of your grace. Grant us the courage to submit to your transforming love, that your gracious will for the world and all your created order might be realized. Assurance of God's Grace For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another. The peace of Christ be with you. Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this day~ |
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Julie participated in the 25th Seminar for Certified Zentangle(R) Teacher Training in June, 2019, trained by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. In addition to creating art as a personal spiritual practice, Julie also incorporates the Zentangle(R) method in Prayer Art Retreats in a variety of contexts, including church groups, friend gatherings, and at a local art gallery. Check out the Upcoming Events page for a calendar of events, or use the Contact Us page to inquire about scheduling an event with your group!
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