Look In

Look In: What Does This Reveal About Me?

Many of us have an unspoken agreement with God. We may never say it out loud, but it sounds
something like this:

“If I obey You, things should work out.”
“If I’m faithful, life should get easier.”
“If I do the right thing, I should get the right outcome.”

The problem is that Scripture never makes those promises. Smyrna reminds us that faithfulness
and suffering can exist side by side. In fact, some of the pain we experience comes not because
we are doing something wrong, but because we are trying to follow Jesus in a broken world.
That raises an important question:

Is my faith rooted in God’s character or merely in the outcomes I want Him to provide?
The pastor described the difference between convenient faith and covenant faith. Convenient
faith follows Jesus when things are working. Covenant faith follows Jesus because He is worthy,
regardless of how circumstances unfold.

Personal Reflection

Take a minute of silence before discussing.
Consider:
Is there an area of your life where you have been struggling to trust God because the
outcome is not what you hoped for?
After a moment of reflection, invite anyone who would like to share.

Discussion

What is the difference between trusting God for an outcome and trusting God regardless of
the outcome?