Week 4 // What Guides You?

A tree grows in a very guided process, much like us when we’re anchored and fueled by God. But that guidance from God is so much more than just being told what to do. It involves recognizing the abilities that God gives us, receiving the grace He deposits in us, and realizing that He expects us to develop those abilities into strong, fruit-bearing branches by His grace. Like a tree, God wants to grow fruit from every branch in your life so others can taste, savor, and be blessed by the orchard of your life.

Paul told the church in Thessalonica, “So we keep on praying for you, asking God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:11-12). In this, we see another example of God’s guiding grace. Paul recognizes there are abilities God enables in our lives, a power through His grace to accomplish His will, and an expectation to live worthy of His call.

Questions for Meditation: 

1. What unique branches has God grown in your life?
2. How can you continue to seek clarity on what those unique branches are?
3. What practical steps can you take in your life to grow your branches and bear fruit in the different areas of your life?
4. What did the parable, and the message, indicate happens when energy is misdirected?
5. What level of discipline is required to ensure your life’s energy is not misdirected?
6. Fear is one of the things that hindered the man with one bag of gold in the parable from Matthew 25 from God’s guiding grace. Has fear ever stopped you from God’s guiding grace?
7. The flesh is another way that hinders us from God’s guiding grace. How can we fight the flesh to stay in the guidance of God?