1. How can you break the cycle of wounding? What makes this hard to accomplish?
A: You can break the cycle of wounding by learning to let go and let God. By building a sort of muscle memory in your brain. When you want to default to letting something wound you deeply and have any sort of control over you, make the conscious choice to hand it over to God and leave it with Him. Don't try to take it back.
It can be hard to accomplish because we are human and it's uncomfortable not to feel in control of the situation you're in. It's unsettling to not be able to really stop something from happening, or not know the answer to a problem so you don't know what exactly to do. It's uncomfortable.
2. God's prophet had anointed David hen he was a boy, but for years David saw only hardship and danger. How can a person remain faithful between the promise and the payoff? What might make it difficult to remain faithful even after the payoff has arrived?
A: Again, we're human. I feel like that's a pretty sufficient answer for most of these questions. Super heroes aren't real. No one has superhuman emotions that don't ware. No one superhuman mental health that won't ware. No one has superhuman strength that won't ware. It's on thing to be physically tired, it's something completely different to be mentally and emotionally exhausted. It's so much easier to give up, rather than pushing through to maybe see the light at the end of the tunnel. For all you know, it could just be a longer tunnel than you knew. Or, there could be a small break in the tunnel and then just another longer, darker tunnel after that. Yes, there COULD be light. But you don't know for sure. And the not knowing is what makes it so difficult. Again, it comes down to actively choosing to trust God and walk in faith for what you cannot see.
Even after you get to the payoff, it may not be clear as to why you had to go through that in the first place. It may have made such a small difference in your heart that you don't even notice. But God does, and that's what really counts in the end. It may be years alter that you look back and see why you had to go through it, and it may be that you never actually find out. And that can be simply maddening if you don't let it go. For instance, I have no idea why my parents got divorced. Why that was allowed to happen. Why I had to hurt for so long. But, God does. And His word says that He will work all things for the good of those that love Him. It was very frustrating for awhile to not understand why that had to happen. But the bottom line is that it happened, I can't go back and change it, and even if I could, I don't know that I would. Now I couldn't have honestly said that before, but since I let it go, I can. And it feels way better than hanging on to it.
3. Have you been broken? Why do we tend to avoid this? Is it always necessary? Are you willing to live through pain, or do you avoid it? When do you most clearly see the sufficiency of God's grace?
A: Yes, I have been broken. I can't speak for someone else, but I tend to avoid it cause it sucks to feel that way. Plain and simple. If it's a choice that I can make that I know could bring pain, I probably won't choose it. However, if it's beyond my control, I've pretty much proven by now that I am willing to live through it. I'm not saying I've always avoided making those choices that brought pain by my own doing, but if I have ever been through something that I didn't knowingly put myself in the middle of, again like my parent's divorce, then I live through it. I was born a fighter and my natural instinct isn't to hide. I hide more often now due to things that have happened to me, but that is something I am working on daily. When do I see God's Grace best? Probably when I have knowingly placed myself in a painful situation and He's let me run to His arms time after time. However, I have also seen it when I choose to do the right thing, even when it's the hard thing. I've definitely sen it then.
4. Who throws spears at you? How does God want you to respond?
A: Mostly, "friends" throw spears. It's not hard to tell that I'm someone who loves big. And I've heard it said that those that love big get hurt big. This has probably been my greatest downfall, because I'm really easy to take advantage of. I will love you anyway. Because that's what I feel like God wants me to do. I always manage to get back up, but it doesn't hurt any less the next time. And I can almost always count on it happening again and again. I know it happens to everyone probably, but I think it's something that happens a little more often to me. No matter what though, I will still love you.. And I will still give everything I have, even when I'm empty and have nothing else to give. And people can tell that. And the spears are thrown when the use me and leave me. I am learning more and more how exactly God wants me to respond. I DO think He wants me to continue to love, but it's really hard not to be bitter about it when I do it. Once again, I'm human. I am learning though that it's okay to distance yourself from people and still love them.
5. Are you clinging to God's promises or to God himself? What is the distinction (if any)?
I feel like there's not much of a difference. I cling to Him and what I know to be true of Him. He is good, He loves me, and I can trust Him. Those in themselves are both promises and characteristics of God. So when I cling to those things I'm clinging to Him and His promises.
6. Chapter 6 deals largely with God's divine establishment of authority. Read Romans 13 and consider your reaction to these concepts. What do you find hard to swallow? Are there any exceptions to this general rule?
A: My reaction to these concepts is that it totally makes sense, but I don't like Obama at all. But really, the hard part to swallow is the fact that God is allowing this man to run our country the way he is, but instructs us to obey him. Even though everything Obama does is against everything I believe. I think there is an exception. I think if Obama asked me to do something that was directly against something in the Bible, I would refuse. Such as to speak blasphemy or something along those lines. However, there are people like Rosa Parks who made a huge difference by simply refusing to sit at the back of a bus because of the color of her skin. Because it was not morally right. And that was the law. And she disobeyed. I think that the main thing is to take everything to God in prayer and ask what He would have you do it. And then do it. Even if it's to do nothing, like in David's case. With me, however, it's always been pretty easy to know what He wants me to do. In most situations anyway. That doesn't mean I always did what I knew He wanted me to do though.
7. Do you agree with the author's assertion that God knows, but He never tells us? How does your answer affect your view of God's relationship with His children?
A: I don't fully agree with that. I know that sometimes, God won't tell us. But other times I know He will. I have asked Him countless times what I should do or why something is happening, and sometimes He tells me and sometimes He doesn't. So I don't fully agree with him saying he NEVER tells us.
My answer doesn't affect my view really. My view is still the same. I don't believe God just wants us to pray at Him, I think He wants us to talk WITH Him. Which means that He wants to talk back, in one way or another. You just have to let Him tell you the way He wants to and not the way you think He should. And you need to be okay with it when He chooses not to tell you. I definitely haven't perfected that skill. When I get frustrated and yell at Him for not telling me what I want to know, I always go back and apologize. Sometimes it just takes me a minute to calm down and then I have to actively choose to let go and let Him be God.
8. What needs to happen to put your own inner Saul to death?
A: I guess everyone's inner Saul looks different. I think that for me it's probably the part of Saul that was envious of David. I do struggle with being envious of people sometimes. And I think to put that to death is to choose to start actively thanking God for all that I have. And to take my focus off of what I don't have onto what I do have. It's not material things I am envious of.. It's relationships that people have and I long for. I have to make myself focus on the relationships and other things that I have been blessed with. Because then I find myself not really liking someone I don't even know. Sometimes never even met.
9. David's men saw the opportunity as a sign from God but David refused to harm Saul. If an opportunity arose, would you do something drastic to ensure your own safety? to exact justice? to take revenge?
A: In the situation dealing with brokenness, no, I don't think I would. I have had plenty of opportunities to do those things. And I haven't taken them. I haven't always made the best choices, but luckily, I have had God's voice in the back of my mind whispering, "don't say/do that", or "yes, say/do that".
If Skye Skelly showed up at my door right now needing a hot meal and place to stay, and I had the opportunity to let her back in and feed her, or to shut the door in her face because she deserves it for the way she treated me... Part of me wants to say I would turn her away. That's the part that's hurt. That I haven't been able to let go of. But in my heart, I know 110% certain, I would let her in.
10. The author points out that God does not rescind His gifts, even when people use them unfaithfully. (but contrast the story of Samson in Judges 16.) What does this show about God's character?
A: That He doesn't give gifts to take them back. He gives them freely because He loves us freely and unconditionally. And I think that's how He wants us to operate too.
11. Do you know any Davids who have been condemned as Sauls?
A: My old pastor, Tim Skelly. My mom. Mamma Bates.
12. What makes a true leader? How should a real leader approach and handle his or her authority?
A: A true leader is someone who will always do what is right, even if it's the harder choice. They will always listen to wise council, have a teachable spirit, practice good communication and loving confrontation, and will seek God in all that they do. They should approach their authority with humility and handle it with grace and mercy. However, they must also be able to handle difficult situations with a stern attitude sometimes. But always, always operating out love.
13. The author equates rebellion with thievery, taking what is not rightfully one's own. Do you agree with the author's statement that" no rebellion in the Kingdom of God is proper"? What differentiates dissenters or reformers from schismatics and dividers? How would you apply these truths to historical events like the Protestant Reformation or the American Revolution?
A: I do agree with it that no rebellion in His Kingdom is proper, because He's God. And no matter what, you should always do what He's asked you to do. And the cool thing is, He will still talk with you about it and be there with you through YOUR situation. You don't always have to go off of something He told Abraham to do. However, rebelling against what He's specifically asked of you, that's never right. Or proper.
The difference between someone who is trying to divide and someone who is making a change is, in my opinion, self. One is motivated by selfish desires and the other is motivated by a calling or a passion placed in them by God.
And, to be really honest, I slept through History. Even when I was homeschooling and had to read the book to myself, I still fell asleep. So, my extent of knowledge on those particular events is that they happened at some point in time. Moving on…
14. Do you agree with David's commitment to "raise no hand", or do you find this course too passive? How can we know when God wants us to take action and when He wants us to accept action taken against us?
A: I think it is really very simple. I agree with his decision because I know that David was a man after God's own heart, so I know that he would consult God before making his decision. If you want to know what he wants, ask Him. Sometimes it may be that He will give you the answer, and other times He will let you decide what is best for the situation. Maybe there is no "right or wrong" decision and He wants you to just choose. I know He has dealt with me that way before.
15. In this story, David considered the throne to be God''s, not his own to have, to take, to protect, to keep. He asserted that he desired God's will more than God's blessing. Could you say the same about what God has given you? How would you respond if your job, your home, your family, were all taken away from you.
A: I don't honestly know for sure. I think that in my heart, I want His will first and foremost, but I also know that I enjoy His blessings as well. If it were all taken away, I think that I would probably respond very similar to Job. However, I think I would go through times of being very weak in my faith and other times of being very strong. But I can never see myself deserting my Jesus completely. I have seen Him come through for me way too many times, and felt Him so tangibly that it was unmistakably Him, that I can't imagine ever turning away. I can't honestly imagine my life without Him. I think the emptiness I would feel, would be much greater than the pain I would endure in losing everything.
16. Sauls see only Absaloms; Absaloms see only Sauls. Neither can recognize a David. How can we distinguish one from the others? Is it true that we can never be certain whether a leader is a Saul or a David, that only God can truly know?
A: I think that everything comes down to communication with God and Holy Spirit. For me, I have always gone with my convictions from the Holy Spirit. I always ask him to tell me what's going on. I have always been close with Holy Spirit. So I guess it's kind of hard for me to imagine having to discern things a different way. Having to distinguish between those things is sometimes difficult but I know that Holy Spirit won't lead me astray. I don't like talking about how often I hear from Holy Spirit because I don't want to come off as cocky or anything like that. But I'm just trying to be real. And the truth is that I honestly don't really know how to differentiate between anything any differently than I always have. And, back to communication, if I am having a hard time hearing Holy Spirit, I ail seek council from someone wise and that I trust and look at as a mentor/friend.
I think that it's true that only God can truly know. I have seen a lot of people act like one thing and turn out to be the complete opposite. Only God knows what's truly in their heart. And sometimes He will let you in on it, and other times you just have to find out for yourself.
17. The person who wields the rod of God's authority should be the meekest, a broken man, lest his people live in terror. What kind of authority does a true leader have? How should he or she respond to that commission? How should his or her followers respond to that individual?
A: A true leader will have true authority and will not operate out of self, but out of compassion and passion for his people. And what is best for them. He will know how to put others above himself.
They should respond with humility knowing that they only have this authority, because God gave it to them. And their leaders should submit to them. However, I think that there are some exceptions regarding morals, as I stated earlier.
