Let.It.Go. Session 2: “Combating the “Me-First” Mentality”
But first….
Reflections on Session 1: How subtle was the Enemy when he dealt with Eve! He played on her desires for knowledge and for good things. He raised doubt in her mind about the word of God and about God’s goodness toward her. That’s been his tactic down through the ages.
He tried to use this same strategy on Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus withstood him because Jesus was the Word of God incarnate. Be aware of Satan’s devices. Let’s not fall for his tactics today. Let’s follow Christ’s example and refute the subtle doubts and fears with God’s word.
Assignment for Week Two:
Let’s take a quick look at Sarai: Read Genesis 11:29-30
Sarai (later called Sarah) was a beautiful woman married to Abram (later, Abraham). Sarai was barren. What a plight for a woman in a culture that believed blessedness for women was found in their ability to give their husband children.
Name some of the emotions that Sarai probably felt.
Read Genesis 12:1
Barren Sarai’s husband was given a promise by God that he would be the father of nations. At first glance, this promise must have been perplexing to Sarai. How would this promise come to pass? She must have even worried about it since she had been barren for so many years.
Read Genesis 16:1-3
Sarai takes matters into her own hands.
Put yourself in Sarah’s shoes, what do you believe she was thinking when she gave Hagar to Abraham?
Have there been times in your life when you rushed ahead of God to bring about what you believe He promised?
If so, do you wish you could go back and do it over and trust Him to work it out in your life?
WE all have times we wish we could go back and do again God’s way. Don’t despair. God can take our faulty steps and turn them around for His purpose when we give it to Him.
He did that for Sarah.
Read Genesis 21:1-3.
God fulfilled His promise to both Abraham and Sarah, but God did it in His timing. A son, Isaac, was born.
Do you think Sarah learned her lesson?
God didn’t leave her as the women who laughed at His promises and forged her own path.
God refers to Sarah as a Holy woman of the past.
Read I Peter 3:5-7
Which leads us to that nasty word: Submission.
(NOTE: IF you are not married, please don’t be put off by this chapter regarding husbands and wives. I would like for you to learn from these chapters the concepts that will help you in every relationship you have. We all have someone to answer to, whether employer, pastoral, legal authorities, parents, and of course, God Himself. In light of that, my exhortation is for you to glean for yourself what applies.)
Read Chapters 3-4 of Let.It.Go.
Whether married or not we can all fall into the trap of manipulation, or the freeing fellowship of Godly influence (#3 on Karen’s list of 5 Key Dance Steps).
Look up in a dictionary and write down the definitions of those two words: Manipulation and Influence.
In your own words describe the differences.
Consider each of the following (jot down your thoughts in your notebook):
Do you manipulate or influence
- Your family members?
- Your friends?
- Your co-workers?
In each of the above relationships, what is your motivation (that’s the payoff) for you to manipulate or influence?
Memory Verse for the week:
“Á [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself.” Prov. 18:2 AMP.
When I consider an area where I did not trust God, I and felt like I had to step in was during the breakup of my Son’s first marriage. His first wife did not have a support system to depend on. Her mother left when she was six, and I had stepped in to be both MIL and mother. I was constantly in the middle of what seemed like a war between my own two children. I usually tried to choose what was right versus who was right. My thoughts were always on the children. Especially, since one was so very ill, and required 24/7 attention. I carried this divorce like my own failure. I knew his wife would deeply regret leaving her children one day. So, when she was vacillating between coming back or not, I told her I would help in anyway possible. Including, getting her out of her lease, and any financial help I could provide. Of course, nothing I did brought the results I desired. I learned a great deal during that situation.
My husband told me many times, “you are looking at this through your eyes, and how you would feel.” He was correct. Reflecting on the marriage aspect of letting go, I am often asked about this topic because I have been married for thirty five years, and I was a senior in High School when I took on this responsibility. Yes, it’s a responsibility. I am accountable to God first and then my husband. My husband delegates all things financial to me, and yes, at times I have said, you handle this. In the end, we usually come together. There were times when I resented the fact that he did not want to discipline the kids because he did not see them much during the week. He wanted them to know his thoughts, but it was left to me to speak them. Don’t get me wrong. He has few negative qualities, and I would not trade him for anything, but marriage is work from beginning to the end. The kids grew up just fine, and they actually realized I was relating information to them from their Dad. I no longer do this. He handles the things he is better at, and I do the same, but we continue to work at making our marriage reflect a Godly union.
I think many Christians have the concept of submission very distorted. I am to follow my husband as he follows the Lord, and he is to love me as Christ did the Church. I can honestly say that it is a joy to do this. I do not feel like a lower life form because I choose to relent my will to God first and then to my husband. I have been blessed to be married to A Man of God for so many years, and he makes that part pretty easy.
When I consider an area where I did not trust God, I and felt like I had to step in was during the breakup of my Son’s first marriage. His first wife did not have a support system to depend on. Her mother left when she was six, and I had stepped in to be both MIL and mother. I was constantly in the middle of what seemed like a war between my own two children. I usually tried to choose what was right versus who was right. My thoughts were always on the children. Especially, since one was so very ill, and required 24/7 attention. I carried this divorce like my own failure. I knew his wife would deeply regret leaving her children one day. So, when she was vacillating between coming back or not, I told her I would help in anyway possible. Including, getting her out of her lease, and any financial help I could provide. Of course, nothing I did brought the results I desired. I learned a great deal during that situation.
My husband told me many times, “you are looking at this through your eyes, and how you would feel.” He was correct. Reflecting on the marriage aspect of letting go, I am often asked about this topic because I have been married for thirty five years, and I was a senior in High School when I took on this responsibility. Yes, it’s a responsibility. I am accountable to God first and then my husband. My husband delegates all things financial to me, and yes, at times I have said, you handle this. In the end, we usually come together. There were times when I resented the fact that he did not want to discipline the kids because he did not see them much during the week. He wanted them to know his thoughts, but it was left to me to speak them. Don’t get me wrong. He has few negative qualities, and I would not trade him for anything, but marriage is work from beginning to the end. The kids grew up just fine, and they actually realized I was relating information to them from their Dad. I no longer do this. He handles the things he is better at, and I do the same, but we continue to work at making our marriage reflect a Godly union.
I think many Christians have the concept of submission very distorted. I am to follow my husband as he follows the Lord, and he is to love me as Christ did the Church. I can honestly say that it is a joy to do this. I do not feel like a lower life form because I choose to relent my will to God first and then to my husband. I have been blessed to be married to A Man of God for so many years, and he makes that part pretty easy.