Come As You Are: Exposure
- Madi Gold
- Nov 22, 2016
- 7 min read
I just want to start out by saying THANK YOU to all of you who have supported Lines Of Faith.
Your kindness and willingness to not only take the time to read my words, but also engage in it all is such a blessing and I can never thank you enough.
Also thank you to those who are choosing to come as you are along with me this week.
This post is for you!
Today is about determining which areas we need to focus in on for the remainder of the study.
Today is about exposing yourself to God.
Yes He already knows WHO we are, but it is important that we openly come to Him about it.
This part can be hard, because it requires us to get rid of our stubbornness, open up and be honest with ourselves and with God.
This week is about coming as we are, and part of that means accepting who we are and what we struggle with.
Which, is a struggle within itself.
It’s time to knock down our walls and be raw and real.
Today is about deep thinking and deep conversation with God through prayer.
These questions will walk you through how to go about solidifying areas where you know you needed God and help determine where you didn’t know you needed God.
With this might come some shock, but embrace it, because this is what this study is about: turning to God, being who you are, and finding help through Him so that we may find what we need in order to grow in these areas of our lives!
These are the categories I listed in yesterday’s post:
Self-image.
Loneliness.
Gossip.
Finances/ Materialism.
Hope.
God’s Will.
Trust.
Love.
Strength.
Anger.
Inspiration/ Encouragement.
Finding Rest
Forgiveness.
Marriage.
Temptation.
Stress.
Adversity.
Gratitude.
Now, remember that these are only some of the many areas of struggle.
There are more, and you are not limited to these categories this week.
I am simply listing them as a way of helping you begin the thinking process.
Now, below I will post a list of questions for you to answer (these questions will also be posted throughout the day on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram)
These are for you and your benefit to help you grow through this study.
I suggest you find a notebook, or a place you can keep all of your answers together to come back to throughout the week.
Before you complete the questions, there is a personal prayer for you to pray to ask God to reveal and expose the specific areas in your life where you need to focus this week.
Then, of course, after completing this exercise, close by completing the daily challenge.
That is all the explanation I have for today’s exercise.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please email me at: madi@linesoffaith.com
Be sure to follow me on…
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Facebook https://www.facebook.com/LinesOfFaith/
Twitter https://twitter.com/Lines_Of_Faith
To receive study updates and reminders throughout your day!
Now… focus in on yourself and let God reveal where you need him in your life!
MKG
Section 1: Exposure-
Begin your study time with prayer:
Dear God,
Today I am coming as I am. I am choosing to be real with you. I am choosing to open up all areas of my life to you, so that you may point out where I need you, where I struggle, where I could improve, where I need hope, and where I need answers. God, I need you in every aspect of life. Help me focus on you and your word this week, and not on what’s around me. Help each exercise be a time and a place for me to have a deep, meaningful conversation with you, no distractions, no doubts, no negativity, just a realness and an eye-opening experience. Expose me to truth. Guide my eyes to see what you need me to find through this study. Allow me to have an open mind that is ready to hear from you and take in all that you have for me, even if it means accepting things I normally wouldn’t. As I answer these questions, help me be honest and answer according to what you are revealing to me. Thank you for accepting me for who I am, God. Thank you for the opportunity to grow closer to you.
Amen
This week’s questions are more personal. They are put together to make you think and prepare yourself for the rest of the study. Tomorrow we will dive into the scripture side of this study!
QUESTIONS:
Define “who you are”. What does your life look like? Where are your struggles? What are your current battles? What are your likes and dislikes? What makes you, YOU? Be honest with this question, and, of course, have fun. This is to be about you!
What do you want to get out of this study? Where are you looking for growth?
What areas of your life do you need to be who you are? Where are you putting up a front? What area should you stop avoiding, and start turning to God in?
Take a minute to think about the difference between a want and a need. There are always things we want, and there are also things we need. It is easy to go throughout life pointing out the things we long for, but when it comes to needs, why do we so easily push them aside? I think throughout our faith we have moments of wanting God and moments where we need him, of course these moments where we need Him are harder to see than the moments we want Him. We tend to push God out of situations where we feel like we don’t need Him, but in reality, we do. Ask God to reveal the areas where you need more of Him. Is there something particular going on in your life that you know you need to turn to God for? This week we are coming as we are, and taking what we need, so what do you need?
Where do you typically release and unwind? Do you turn on the TV, or read a good book? Do you tend to unwind onto others to find help or support, or do you turn directly to God? Regardless of your answer, encourage yourself this week to only release and unwind to God. Instead of looking for an escape in your surroundings, escape to God through prayer. This will help you focus in the right way this week!
What area of your life do you feel a strong presence of God? Where do you feel like you already know God is working in your life? Do you consider this area to be a strength of yours? Do you feel that this particular area is something you use to benefit others? In other words, what has God made you good at? What are your God-given talents? What category/area are you confident in? Ask God to help you answer this question. Ask Him to reveal an area of strength just like you would an area of struggle or weakness.
Are you quick to doubt God? Do you tend to second guess what might be revealed to you through His word or specific situations in your life? Has there been a time where God has spoken to you, specifically through scripture, and you have ignored it? This week is about focusing in on scripture and the importance of using it in our lives. How can you remind yourself to not only look to God, but accept and live out what He says/reveals?
Romans 15:7 reads: “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given the glory.” This study isn’t just about being and accepting who YOU are, but also accepting others for who they are. We are not alone when it comes to struggling. We need to remember this. What are some ways you can be more accepting of those in your life? How can you open yourself up to people who you have crossed paths with & share your faith with them? This week you will see just how faithful and loving God is to you through your openness and honesty about who you are. Choose to do the same for those around you.
I do not know where you are at in your walk with God, but regardless, I know that we all have our own idea of who God is to us. Before we begin this week’s study, I want you to define who God is to you currently. Is your definition of God consistent, or do you see it changing day by day? This could be a simple word, or a longer definition.
And, lastly, looking at the categories I listed above, did God reveal an area to you that is not listed? If so, what is this area? Is there a particular verse that helps you in this area
Today’s Challenge…
After you complete the questions above, you should see some areas in your life that you can focus on for this week. For today’s challenge, all I ask is that you share these areas with me. Either email me (madi@linesoffaith.com) or message me through Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Just reach out to me! You do not have to go into detail, I am not asking you to share anything personal with me. It is as simple as you naming the categories. For example, “My focus areas are love, loneliness, and forgiveness this week” that is all! And, if there is a specific area that is not listed in the categories above (question 10) please let me know & I will add it for tomorrows exercise. These messages will stay between you and me. I am only asking you to share them with me so that I can pray for you to find focus in those areas this week. My job as the leader of this study is to encourage and pray FOR you. Sharing helps me do that! It also helps me personalize the study a little more by being able to add specific thoughts and questions geared more towards you, individually! So, like I said send me a message sharing the categories you are choosing to focus on this week.
If you have any other questions, comments, thoughts, or concerns about the study, please include them in your message!
To wrap up….. As you finish today’s exercise, continue to be active in prayer. Today is about prayer. Today is about opening up to God for exposure. Find moments to talk to God and see what all He continues to reveal to you!
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