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Introduction

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I have worked in investment banking for 40 years. Almost every day I have read the Financial Times and the Bible. These readings have often prompted searching questions about my own sense of direction and purpose. And I have not been alone in this search. Over many years I’ve had the privilege of mentoring Christians at all stages in the faith. Without exception the most frequently asked questions I hear are about purpose. “How do I find and fulfil my calling in life?”. During the last decade, the intensity with which this question has been asked, particularly by those in their 20s and 30s, has only increased. Trying to navigate a practical response to this question is what prompted me to write Know Your Why. Nowadays most people will experience many changes in their work place and life choices. Very few will have a single calling to one place and to one ministry. Instead, life comes in seasons. Christians will often find themselves at a crossroads, faced with life-defining decisions. How can we prepare for these moments? How can we rest assured in our choices? The fear of choice has gripped a generation, and so I have tried to give practical advice for navigating these rapidly changing seasons of life. The work place is changing so quickly and is becoming so stressful that questions of purpose asked by a previous generation periodically have become the daily staple diet of a generation seeking spiritual and personal guidance. But God isn’t Google. He is not a search engine. Knowing your why is not something tackled once and settled forever, it’s a continuing journey a process, a practical way of life, supremely found in the teachings of the Bible. To know your why is to know the flow of the spirit in your life. It is the source of sustained motivation. My passion is to equip you to live each day with purpose, particularly at work. I’ve been creating a series of materials to support you in this, you can find out more at the end of this guide. This resource is a set of bible study studies designed for small groups based on my book Know Your Why. They are an opportunity for you to stop and to take hold of God’s calling on your life. Take time to read the book extracts, read God’s word, pray together and listen to what the Spirit is saying to you. My prayer is that through this you will Know Your Why. Ken Costa

godatwork.org.uk

godatwork

godatworkuk

[email protected]

Week 1: Called to Passion

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Introduction: Called to Passion This first session looks at how God calls us to use the passions and talents that he has given us. It’s very easy for Christians to imagine that God’s call strips us of any personal agency, but this isn’t how Jesus interacts with his disciples. The call of Jesus is an invitation for us to bring our skills and talents, passions and desires to the table, and to participate with him in the work of the Kingdom of God. Read the following extract from Know Your Why and discuss it together. It might be easiest to undertake discussions within smaller groups, and then feedback to the main group at the end of each discussion. Book Extract Very often when people talk about calling, they try to remove human autonomy from the equation. They imagine that our desires, our concerns, our passions and talents are irrelevant. But the fact that our loving Father has called us should not negate the freedom we have to make choices. There is nothing in Christian faith to encourage the resigned acceptance of fate. Que sera, sera— “whatever will be, will be”— might be an old favourite song, but it is not the basis of our callings. Something much more liberating, exciting, and fulfilling lies ahead when we seriously seek the call of God in our lives.

Following his call isn't about blind obedience. It's more like leaving a house with a friend to go on a journey. You both have a shared destination in mind and a map to get you there, but there are many routes you could take along the way. And so you work out your route in conversation and relationship. Sometimes your friend might suggest very strongly that you both take a certain path. Perhaps she knows something about the way ahead that you don't. Sometimes you might insist on taking a wrong turn, away from the destination, and have to allow your friend to show you the right direction. But you work it out together. That is what I believe it means to follow your calling with Christ. Your opinions, your passions, your desires really do matter to him.

This is something we see very clearly in the Bible— particularly in the journeys of Saint Paul. The letters of Paul paint a picture of a man who was constantly probing at different doors, trying to work out in dialogue with God where his next steps might go. There's no sense that his path was laid out clearly before him. Sometimes his attempts to take a certain road were blocked by forces outside of his control, and sometimes he was responding to a very specific message of the Holy Spirit. But very often, Paul simply followed his nose, listening to his own heart while keeping himself open to the promptings of the Spirit of God.

The point is, we are not called to be robots. God does not dictate our paths but gives us wide room to manoeuvre. So often I hear people say that if they make a wrong choice they have missed their call. But often it is not the presenting decision but the purposeful direction that matters. After all, it was God who gave us our unique humanity— who put those passions and talents within us, for us to use.


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Crucial to understanding our callings, then, is understanding ourselves. Seeing the passions and desires that God has placed within us— the talents and dreams that await realisation in him.

The truth is that God gives us passions for a reason. He will not call us into something that makes us miserable or that is a waste of our talents. Frederick Buechner, the American theologian, once wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.” The fact that we are passionate about something is often a sign that this is where God is calling us to be. (Know Your Why, p.5-6)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from 1 Peter 4:7-11: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to consider how they view their calling, and invite them to share their observations. and reflections

Questions • What does this passage have to say about our where our talents and giftings

come from? • Why should this passage give us confidence to use our talents? • Why does the passage say we should look to put our talents into practice? Activity Give everyone a piece of paper and a pen, and ask them to write down 3 talents they have - things that they are good at. Reassure them that this won't be shared with the group. Discussion Many Christians find it very difficult to think about their own talents. Why do you think that is? Do we need to reassess that tendency in the light of 1 Peter 4:10?


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Once you’ve discussed the passage from 1 Peter, turn to read Micah 6:6-8: “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Prayer Pointers Very often people struggle to think of any particular passions, or believe they have any real talents. Pray together that God will open our eyes to recognise the talents and gifts that he has given, and our hearts to recognise the passions and desires that he has placed within us.

Activity This passage from Micah beautifully captures something of that common calling that we all have as Christians – to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. But what other features does our common Christian calling have? What else does God require of all Christians in all places? As a group, make a list, drawing on passages from Scripture. Discussion We might all share a common calling, but how we put that calling into practice will be different for each one of us. It will depend on what situations we find ourselves in, and on the particular talents and passions that God has given us. Talk together about some of the difficult situations we can face in our every-day lives. What might it look like for us, as individuals, to follow God’s common call in each of those unique situations?

Week 2: Called to Engage

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Introduction: Called to Engage This second session looks in a bit more detail at the content of our Christian callings. It’s very easy for Christians to fall into the trap of measuring their significance by the standards of the world. But that attitude can leave us questioning the point of our contribution, particularly when we measure ourselves against those whom the world labels “great”. The truth is that we are called to give glory to God in everything we do – the little things as well as the big. God does measure us by human standards. Read the following extract from Know Your Why and discuss it together. Ask participants consider how they view their calling, and invite them to share their observations and reflections. It might be easiest to undertake discussions within smaller groups, and then feedback to the main group at the end of each discussion. Book Extract One of the greatest problems facing Christianity today is a refusal to believe that God could possibly care about our individual futures, that God could care about our day-to-day lives or have plans for us outside of a particularly religious call. We're often fine with the idea that he might call other people, but there can be a deep insecurity about whether God could possibly use us. When it comes to my calling and my future, we fear that God has forgotten us. Of course, it's relatively easy to understand Christian calling when it relates to those who fulfill some specifically Christian responsibility in their places of work. Pastors, worship leaders, and high- profile evangelists can make a clear link between their work and their God- given callings. So, too, can those who inhabit positions of power and prestige, or those whose work has an obvious positive impact on society. They might still doubt it, but we can easily imagine that politicians, teachers, charity workers, and doctors find it easier to rest assured that their work is an embodiment of their Christian calling. But what about those who are not going to cure cancer, deliver aid, or evangelise from a platform? How can they see a calling that is unique to them? Part of the answer lies in trying to view our work through the eyes of God, rather than through the eyes of the world. The world is utilitarian in its judgments and standards. The more obvious good we do and the more people we positively impact, the more the world will judge our efforts worthwhile. But this is not God's perspective. Mark's gospel describes an occasion when Jesus was in the temple courtyard, watching the crowds put money into the treasury. Some very wealthy people poured huge sums of money into the collection plate, probably with lots of trumpeting and self-promotion. And then in slipped a poor widow, who put into the collection two small copper coins— barely enough to buy a meal of grain.


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The donations of the rich would go on to do great works through the temple. They'd feed the priests, clothe the poor, buy new ornaments to adorn the spaces of worship. Compared to that, the widow's offering was practically worthless in the eyes of the world. But it was not worthless to Jesus.

In the end, even the greatest of our works will be forgotten by the world. All our efforts will be dust and ashes in the face of God's eternal glory. There is a beautiful simplicity to that verse in Isaiah 40: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (v. 8). When it comes to the worthiness of our callings, we need to take a divine perspective and remember that God's standards are not like those of the world. Some people are called to do great works— govern countries, direct relief efforts, evangelise millions. And some people are called to do small acts of service— pour coffee with a smile, sweep the streets, bake a cake for their neighbours. But God does not look at these things and see them as inconsequential. To him they are beautiful outpourings of his spirit. A calling to serve God in the workplace might be to revive a failing company. Or perhaps it is to be a loyal and faithful friend to a coworker going through a tough time. Though the world may judge one as more significant than the other, God does not. (Know Your Why, p.35-37)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Jeremiah 29:4-7: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything— all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43–44)

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract.


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Once you’ve discussed the passage from Jeremiah, turn to read Matthew 5:13-16: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Prayer Pointers Pray that God will reveal moments where we can make a difference in the lives of those around us – in small ways as well as big. Pray that when we make an effort to engage in the struggles of the people around us, we will learn to rely on the recognition and appreciation of our Father in Heaven, not the world around us.

Questions • What is the context to this passage? • What are the parallels between the situation of the Israelites in Babylon, and

us as Christians in an increasingly secular world? • In what way does verse 7 form an encouragement to Christians working in a

secular environment? Discussion Jesus famously told his disciples that they were “in the world but not of the world.” But it's also true to say that we should be in the world, for the world – seeking to be a blessing to the communities and nations within which we live and work. How can we “seek the peace and prosperity” of the nation that God has placed us in, in little ways as well as large?

Activity Salt and light are two of the most essential ingredients for life. As a group, make a list of the characteristics and uses of salt and light. Discussion Look at your list. What parallels are there between the uses and characteristics of salt and light and our calling as Christians? How can we better put those characteristics into practice in our day-to-day lives?

Week 3: Called to Flourish

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Introduction: Called to Flourish This week’s session looks at how God can use our smallest contributions in extraordinary ways. Just because we think that we bring something insignificant, doesn’t meant that God can’t use it to change the world. We need to bring what little we have with an open hand, prepared to see God use it in ways we cannot imagine. Before you read the following extract from Know Your Why and discuss it together. It might be helpful to start by reading together the feeding of the five thousand, as told in John 6:5-13. Ask participants consider how they view their calling, and invite them to share their observations and reflections. It might be easiest to undertake discussions within smaller groups, and then feedback to the main group at the end of each discussion. Book Extract When Jesus fed the five thousand, it was a small boy's meal that was multiplied. Just imagine if the boy hadn't been prepared to give to Jesus his small basket of bread and fish. Imagine if the boy had held back his offering, grasping it tightly so that no one could take from him what precious food he had, assuming that he was just a boy with nothing to offer. There would have been no miracle. Five thousand people would have gone hungry, and Jesus might not have demonstrated his extraordinary provision and generosity. What we have, however small, we must keep giving to the Lord for his miraculous purposes. The boy was obedient, and God honoured him. Don't let the people around you constrain your calling by their views of you. Only you know the gifts that God has given to you. Calling and gifting run together. The question is, will you be intentional about using them? Let us remember that the economy of the kingdom of God is based not on power but on potential. So many of the biblical heroes were reluctant to step into their callings because they didn't believe they could ever amount to anything significant. When God called Moses to free the Israelites, Moses protested that he could not speak publicly. When Sarah was promised a son, she protested that she was too old; and when Jeremiah was told to prophesy, he protested that he was too young. When God sent Gideon to fight the Midianites, Gideon protested that his family was insignificant. When Samuel anointed Saul with oil, Saul protested that his tribe was too small, and when Samuel anointed David, Jesse protested that David was the youngest of eight sons. Even Mary, when she was promised that she would carry the Messiah, protested that she was a virgin (although we probably can't begrudge her that one!). I wonder if you can recognise yourself in any of these biblical heroes. I certainly can. What encouragement! Using what we have been given (however small), encouraging others to use their gifts, and being obedient to that heavenly calling are vital. So many people are afraid to answer their callings because they feel too old or too young, not cool enough or smart enough or important enough to be of use to God. But with God, our seemingly insignificant


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contributions can make a significant impact. Our small actions can have big consequences. (Know Your Why, p.60-61)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Exodus 3:7-15: “The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “ I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘ I am has sent me to you.’ ” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.””

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract.

Questions: • What objections does Moses raise to his being called by God? • What reassurances does God give him? Activity: Despite their flaws, people like Moses and Gideon were some of the great freedom fighters of their age. Over the last few hundred years, there have been plenty of examples of flawed individuals who have nevertheless won great victories for social justice. Make a list of some of the most prominent. Discussion: All of the people on your list had reasons not to follow their calling. But all of them found the strength to commit to something bigger than just themselves. What worries stop us from stepping into our calling? What reassurances does God give us?


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Now turn to read Matthew 13: 31-32 “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.””

Prayer pointers It can be difficult, when faced with some of the overwhelming problems and horrors of the world, to know how we can start to tackle them. Pray that God gives us inspiration and confidence to do what we can, trusting that God is able to multiply many times over, anything we have to offer.

Questions: • What is Jesus trying to say with these parables? • What modern examples do you know where small movements have gone on

to change the world? Discussion: When a tiny mustard seed is placed in soil and watered, the resulting plant can quickly take over an entire garden. Of course, it’s not just one mustard plant that has taken over – it’s hundreds of mustard plants that have grown from the seeds of that one original plant. Taken in isolation, one individual plant won’t look like much. The same is true of many of the great social movements of our time – one person wouldn’t have achieved much, but when people join together they have the potential to change the world. How can we join with other Christians to bring the Kingdom of God to some of the most desperate situations in the world?

Week 4: Called to Wait

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Introduction: Called to Wait This week’s session looks at our time in the “waiting room”, when we feel unsure about our next steps. Though difficult and sometimes tedious, God uses these times of waiting to strengthen us and prepare us for what lies ahead. We need to learn to value this time as a time of preparation – it is the game before the game. Book Extract You probably know the feeling: Your mind begins to wander away from the familiar place where you have been working when a new and unexpected opportunity develops an increasingly strong life of its own as the idea grows. But somehow you know that you have to wait to see whether this is a real, new calling or just a scratchy reaction to tiresome people and seemingly endless problems at work. Waiting is bad enough for an activist. Waiting patiently is nigh impossible! But that is what the psalmist said repeatedly: “I waited patiently for the Lord” (Psalm 40:1). Waiting is a part of the spiritual discipline essential to everyone who is following Jesus. But then, significantly, the psalmist added, “he turned to me and heard my cry.” I have found the first part— waiting— almost unbearable at times. Yet when I have clung to that second half of the promise, I have not been disappointed. What do you do in the waiting room? Fill in the doctor's forms, give your history, and then wait to be called while flicking through last month's magazines. Every now and then you pop up to see whether you have slipped off the list or how long it will take for the doctor to see you. Waiting is so very hard. But unlike the doctor's waiting room, God's waiting rooms are part of the consultation. It matters to him that we are prepared before we hear from him. Taking time to get ready is therefore not an annoying interlude but an essential ingredient and part of his equipping. We begin to dream of what might be. We have a sense that the ties to our current circumstances are being loosened and something different is beginning. God allows conviction to grow out of our initial dreams and impressions, but this takes time. Waiting is a kind of spiritual workshop. But how do we deal with this madden-ing delay? What do we do when we can't do anything? And how do we keep the dream alive when we can't yet live the dream? When we are stressed because we cannot lay hold of what we really want, it is easy to start comparing ourselves with others who appear to be flourishing in their dreams. And this only fuels our desire for something to happen and reminds us of what could be but isn't yet— or worse, might not ever be. In these times, we have a tendency to believe that nothing good will come from this experience of waiting. But this is the most valuable time of our lives in Christ: when he draws near and works with us to align our wills to his purpose. This season enables us to respond to his call for the next phase of our lives. There is excitement in this time if we have the right attitude and if we can embrace rather than resist the challenges of the season. (Know Your Why, p.64-65)


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Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Psalm 13:1-6:

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,

and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to consider how they view waiting, and invite them to share their observations and reflections.

Questions: • What is the Psalmist afraid of? • What does the Psalmist want from God? • What is the basis of the Psalmist’s change of tune in verse 5? Discussion: We all have times where we fear that God has abandoned us, or has given up on our future. But when we look back on such times from a future vantage point, we often get a sense of how God was preparing and shaping us for what lay ahead. Discuss together in small groups any times when you have felt abandoned or forgotten by God – whether in work, relationships or anything else – and talk about the ways in which God might have used that time (or be using that time) to strengthen and prepare you for the way ahead.


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Now turn to read 2 Timothy 4:5-8: “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Prayer Pointers All of us will face times stuck in the waiting room, when we’re unsure if God is with us or remembers us. Pray that at such times God will give us the strength to persevere in faithfulness, just like the Psalmist. Pray particularly for anyone who feels that they are currently going through a time in the waiting room – that God will encourage them, strengthen them, and in time breathe new dreams and passions into their lives.

Activity: Psalm 13 contains words for us to return to in times of uncertainty, waiting and fear of the future, whenever those times come. Take some time out to reflect on these words. It might be a good idea to write them down, and perhaps put them in an envelope for a future moment when we feel abandoned or forgotten.

Questions: • In what way is Paul’s message to Timothy here relevant to someone getting

impatient and restless in the waiting room? • What does Paul say is the reward of patient and righteous waiting? Discussion: Sometimes, when we’re stuck in the waiting room, there can be a temptation to cut corners. To stop trusting in God’s timing, and seek to progress our cause in our own strength. David faced that temptation with King Saul, while other biblical heroes like Abraham and Jacob succumbed. Where do we face that temptation in our lives, and how do we make sure we continue to run the good race?

Week 5: Called to Choose

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Introduction: Called to Choose This week’s session looks at how we approach moments at the crossroads, when we have to make choices about how we are going to follow God in our everyday lives. Perhaps these are career choices, perhaps their relationship choices, or perhaps a different choice altogether. How we make those choices is an integral part of following our calling. Book Extract Making life choices is never easy. Over the years I have found five simple steps that have helped me enormously in making difficult choices. Every step is taken in the light of the Holy Spirit guiding, leading, and prompting us. It is in the power of the life and teaching and example of Jesus that we can make these judgments. 1. Consider The first step in facing a major choice is to consider and weigh the range of options that are available, forming what I call early impressions. The biblical precedent is that there is no need to rush; there is time to think, to weigh things, and to ask for discernment and wisdom. Listening to God as we make our choices is key. We need times of withdrawal from the frenzy of life to quiet our spirits and listen to his wisdom. In these times of listening quietly to God, the decisions that we are wrestling with will either fall away or grow in pre-eminence. 2. Consult Critical to making good decisions is taking good advice. The Bible urges us to find wisdom through many counselors: “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisors” (Proverbs 11:14). We must seek advice from those whom we trust to think upon things with wisdom and integrity. After all, opinions are many, but wisdom is select. People whose advice is worth seeking include those who share our faith values, those who love us, those who have experience and wisdom in the area and those who are in spiritual authority 3. Clarify The apostle Paul exhorted the church in Thessalonica to clarify the callings of the Spirit. “Do not quench the Spirit,” he said. “Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all; hold on to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–21). It’s sometimes easy to think that a sense of God’s calling absolves us of the use of our critical faculties. We need to take the time to clarify—to engage our reason—so that we might reflect on what we think has been revealed. This is the time to sift through all the information, using our analytical skills and our own self-understanding. The most important aspect of the clarifying process is that we remain open to hearing from the Lord and invite God to speak into our lives. “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4 ESV) is a great verse to repeat when in the clarifying part of the decision making.


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4. Courage It takes time to clarify decisions, especially major ones. We become impatient with God when decisions don’t happen quickly. He often restrains us from moving forward, to test us or prevent us from charging headlong into a dead end. A nudge from God is what we need to know when the time of holding back is over. Doubt will be with us in every one of our choices until we have made up our minds to walk a particular path. Doubt is the traveling companion of wisdom, and God can use our uncertainty as the humility necessary to remain dependent on him. We need to live through doubt, not just with doubt, and that takes courage. Making a final decision takes a deep breath and conviction. The Bible promises that if we are courageous in pursuing the ways of God, he stays with us. Undergirding all our decisions is this great reassurance: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27). 5. Contented Paul said in his letter to the Philippians that he had “learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). This is about as difficult a lesson to learn as any. I am helped by the fact that he said “I have learned.” There are clearly times when we make decisions we regret. If I make a mistake, I am always comforted by knowing that I took care in the process: I considered thoughtfully, I sought the counsel of others, I took steps to clarify—and I chose the best available option at the time in the light of the information and alternatives available. We cannot see into the future, so I try not to beat myself up for decisions that don’t end up as I had hoped. I do my best not to linger or indulge in introspective self-examination. But regret is wasted energy, we never know what exciting opportunity might be around the corner. (Know Your Why summary of p.83-100)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from selcinorhC 2 21-7:1 : “That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to consider how these five steps can help in making choices, and invite them to share their observations and reflections.


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be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.””

Now turn to read Colossians 3:12-17: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Questions: • Did Solomon have a choice about how to respond to God’s offer? • If Solomon had chosen differently, would God still have honoured his promise

to grant Solomon’s request? Activity: Make a list of the areas – big and small – in which God gives us a choice about how we live our lives. Discussion: The reality that God gives us choices can be scary – it means the future is in some senses up to us, even if God holds our ultimate future in his hands. This leaves us with a sense of responsibility when it comes to making choices. Discuss together the ways in which we can seek to make mature, Godly choices. The book of Proverbs has some great pointers.

Questions: This passage doesn't tell us what decisions to make – but it does outline the general spirit in which we should seek to make decisions. • What are the key features of that spirit? Discussion: While God doesn't always make our choices for us, or point us down a particular path, he does tell us how to approach our choices. How can we seek to make choices in the spirit of that is outlined in this passage from Colossians?


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Prayer Pointers Fear of making the wrong choice can leave us paralysed. Pray that God gives us peace in the knowledge that whatever choices we make, he is in ultimate control, and his word stands forever.

Week 6: Called to Courage

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Introduction: Called to Courage This week’s study looks at how we can fight the fear of failure and embrace the calling that God has given us. It takes courage to step out in faith, particularly when we’ve been hurt in the past. We have to be willing to take risks, secure in the knowledge that whatever happens our Father in heaven remains faithful. Book Extract One hears many leaders and managers declaring in a blustering tone to their teams, “Failure is not an option!” But this is wrong. Being willing to fail is an essential part of our callings. As Christians, we are carriers of a great hope: hope in a God who is above and beyond all things, hope that places of darkness and despair might be transformed into places of life and light. But the hardest thing about this great hope is that we don't know how it is going to play out in our individual lives. We are called to face an uncertain future in confidence, but we are not fortune-tellers. Ecclesiastes 8:7 says, “Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come?” It is only God who sees all things and knows all things. Whenever we step out in faith, we take a risk. Whenever we dare to hope in the face of hopelessness or dream the impossible dream, whenever we are willing to try what the world might dis-miss as foolish, we are not doing any of these things in absolute assurance that our attempts will succeed. Even risks taken in the power of God are still risks! God is not an on-demand enabler who makes our every endeavour succeed. Every dreamer and schemer of the kingdom knows deep disappointment. Part of Christian faith, part of being willing to dream, means being willing to fail. It means being willing to take risks for God, in the knowledge that God is in control and we are not. This is easy to say on paper, but in practice it can be a hard and painful lesson to learn. And once we have been burned from one risk, it can be incredibly difficult to take another. Fear of failure can stop us in our tracks. But if we're not taking risks, then we are not living a life of faith, and “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Playing safe is no answer to the fear of failure; it will never satisfy. In the parable of the talents, which we find in Matthew 25, the master rewarded the servants who were willing to risk failure to grow what they had been given. The one who played it safe, burying his treasure in the ground because he saw the master as a hard man— a ruthless bully who didn't tolerate failure— received the master's wrath. Those who trusted in the goodness of the master were rewarded. What would the master have said to one of those servants if he had tried to invest the money wisely, but forces outside his control had robbed him of that with which he had been entrusted? Only a hypocrite would have punished such a faithful servant. No, a good master would have said exactly the same to the servant who had tried and failed


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as he did to the one who succeeded: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much” (v. 23). To those who have taken a risk in faith and found their hopes come crashing back to earth, to those who dared to dream that God might do a new thing but have been left crushed and disappointed, Jesus, too, says, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Well done for dreaming, for being willing to see things as they might yet be rather than as they are. Well done for stepping out in faith despite your fear and your hesitancy. Well done for daring to think that hope might not be lost. Our failures are not failures in the eyes of God. When we step out in faith, we always triumph, whether or not we are successful on our terms. (Know Your Why, p. 110-111)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Psalm 23:1-6. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask people to share their observations and reflections and stories on failure and stepping out in faith.

Activity Spend a short time meditating on the words of Psalm 23. Ask people to reflect individually on the times in their lives where they have felt the sting of apparent failure, or feared for the future. Then ask them to think about how God steered them through that difficult time. If you are able to play music, the song “The House of God Forever” by Jon Foreman might be a helpful aid to reflection.


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Once you’ve discussed Psalm 23, turn to read Romans 8:31-39: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Questions • What assurance does Psalm 23 make? • Sometimes it’s easy to think that God’s protection as the shepherd means we

are kept free from any harm or danger. What does Psalm 23 have to say to that notion?

Discussion Verse 4 tells us that God’s rod and staff bring comfort. A shepherd’s rod was used to defend the sheep from predators and thieves, while a shepherd’s staff (or crook) was used to guide the sheep along the right path. In what way do we experience God’s rod and staff today?

Questions The crucial question in this passage is found in verse 35: “who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” • What answer does Paul give? • What reason does Paul give for our assurance of communion with Christ? • What does Paul have to say about things in our past, for which we may feel

guilt or shame, and which might stop us from stepping out in faith in the future?

Discussion When we’re in the middle of dark periods, or when we’re facing a uncertain future, it can be so easy to lose sight of the fact that God stands with us through thick and thin. Discuss together how we might remember that God has not forsaken us, even in the most difficult moments.


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Prayer Pointers As Christians we are called to face an uncertain future, not in confidence that we won’t face trials, but in confidence that God is bigger than those trials. Pray that God will release people from fear, both of the future and of the past, and remind us that he stands beside us, like a shepherd watching over the sheep.

Week 7: Called to Focus

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Introduction: Called to Focus This week’s study looks at the importance of staying focused. In a world full of constant distractions, it is so easy to become side-tracked from our calling. Learning to prioritise and strip away the clutter is a crucial part of following God in our lives. Book Extract Jesus had a calling specifically for his disciples. He gave them very precise, almost laboured instructions on their missionary objectives: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5–6 AMP). I have puzzled over this teaching for many years. It seems strange that Jesus told the disciples not to spread the gospel among the Gentiles. Were they less important? I have come to understand that this is a key teaching with regards to following the call of Jesus in our lives, and for one powerful reason: it deals with the restrictions on our callings. Jesus used the one word we hate more than most: no. But we will never mature in our callings until we have learned to say it ourselves. Telling the disciples not to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans was not for racially prejudiced reasons. Jesus wanted to be sure that the disciples would not be distracted from their task, which was to minister specifically to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He then reinforced this singular objective by insisting that they not take any extras: “no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff ” (v. 10 NIV). He set clear objectives and removed the clutter that could distract. Priorities are key to calling. Clutter is a big issue in modern living, and as Christians, we need to deal with it regularly. There is just too much stuff. There's always stuff on our smartphones, stuff in our inboxes, stuff clogging up our attics, our lives. “Simplify your life, and your calling will be clearer,” a wise friend once said to me. I am a terrible packer. I have a “what if” bag about which my family teases me mercilessly. It almost always leads to excess bag-gage charges. It has every imaginable extra that might be required for the journey. I do not travel lightly— sometimes a pair of skiing gloves makes its way on safari in Africa! I had a conversation with the adventurer Bear Grylls about packing before he climbed Everest. Bear's simple comment was that, if you are climbing Everest, you don't need unnecessary clutter and weight. You need to stay focused. You have to declutter. So what about us? Like the disciples, we don't need unnecessary clutter. And typically for us, clutter equals distractions. There are many times when we have to say no, however hard it is, if we are to avoid diluting God's call. As The Message translation puts it: “All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions” (1 Corinthians 7:35). (Know Your Why, p.127-128)


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Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Proverbs 4:20-27:

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil.

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to consider how they their ability to focus on their calling, and invite them to share their observations and reflections.

Activity All of us struggle to make time to be still and listen to God. Sometimes our excuses are good, and sometimes not so much! As a group, make a list of some of the distractions that stop us from hearing God’s voice. Question • What advice does the book of Proverbs give when it comes to dealing with the

distractions and temptations that can keep us from listening to our Father? Discussion Discuss together how we might put the advice into practice. How can we keep distractions and temptations out of our lives?


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Once you’ve discussed Proverbs 4, turn to read Matthew 10:5-15: These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Prayer Pointers Distractions come in all forms. But if they keep us from following God’s call or hearing his voice, they must be put aside. Pray that God will help us to avoid the distractions of modern technology, the temptations of sin, and the dangers of mission creep.

Questions • Why does Jesus tell the disciples not to go to the Gentiles? • Did that mean that Jesus did not want the Gentiles to hear the Good news? • Why is Jesus so prescriptive about what the disciples could take with them? Discussion Distraction doesn't just stop us making time for God. It can also be fatal to our calling – even when that distraction looks like a good cause. Are there any areas in our lives where we are being distracted from our calling by mission creep, trying to do more than we are able? How do we discern the difference between a good cause and our genuine calling, and how do we combat mission creep in our lives? Remember, God still sent people to the Gentiles, just not necessarily the disciples at that time!

Week 8: Called to Persevere

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Introduction: Called to Persevere This week’s study looks at the importance of perseverance in our Christian life. Everyone who has scaled a mountain in their lives, metaphorical or otherwise, understands the importance of persevering through trials. Learning to stick with it when the going gets tough is crucial to following God’s call. Book Extract On January 14, 2015, after nearly three weeks of exhausting and relentless climbing, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell reached the top of the El Capitan rock formation in Yosemite National Park. They made history as the first people to free climb the sheer Dawn Wall— climbing without aids, using ropes only to secure themselves when they inevitably and repeatedly fell. At three thousand feet high and composed of thirty-two sections— some of which are among the hardest climbs in the world all by themselves— the Dawn Wall had long been considered an impossible endeavor among the mountaineering community. For nineteen days Jorgeson and Caldwell slept between climb-ing sessions in tents suspended hundreds of feet into the air. They repeated the same moves over and over as they tried to conquer the Dawn Wall's different sections. Again and again they sliced their hands and fingers open on the razor-sharp rock, making advances of only a few inches. Scaling the imposing Dawn Wall had been Caldwell and Jorgeson's goal for a long time, and they had spent eight years preparing for it. Using social media to communicate, they continually updated their progress. The world watched and waited with bated breath as they conquered this colossal rock face. Part of the reason the story got so much attention, Jorgeson guessed, is that people can relate to elements of the journey. “It's a big dream, it requires teamwork and determination and commitment,” said Jorgeson. “And those aren't climbing- specific attributes. Those are common to everybody, whether you're trying to write a book or climb a rock.” At one point, when he was suffering, Caldwell sent out a message saying: “Razor sharp holds ripped both the tape and the skin right off my fingers. As disappointing as this is, I'm learning new levels of patience, perseverance and desire. I'm not giving up. I will rest. I will try again. I will succeed.” The specific objective is irrelevant, he said, but both climbers hope that their experience might inspire others to ask themselves: “What's my Dawn Wall?” What is your Dawn Wall? Christians all seek the kingdom (Matthew 6:33)— and, as a result, we find ourselves on a journey of refinement. But within this macro-objective lie our own micro-objectives, given to us by God. We long to buy in to something larger than ourselves, a cause that transcends our own day-to-day endeavors and lifts up our eyes.


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“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” That is the prayer of David in Psalm 61:2. It's a prayer of longing for something more, something bigger than the introspective self. (Know Your Why, p.149-150)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Psalm 121:1-6:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.”

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to consider how they react in challenging times, and invite them to share their observations and reflections.

Activity Anyone who ever scaled a mountain knows the struggle involved. Make a list together of the hazards and trials that someone might face climbing a mountain. Questions • What does the Psalmist feel when he sees the mountain towering over him? • What comfort does the Psalmist receive? • The Psalmist’s reference to days and nights suggests the journey ahead is

long. God promises to watch over the the traveller, but what attributes will they need to bring if they are to reach the summit?

Discussion: God calls all of us to scale mountains through the course of our lives. Some of those mountains will be deeply personal, whilst some of them will be very public, perhaps as part of our career. Talk together about some of the mountains you feel God calling you to. How can you learn to trust in God’s provision and protection as you push on up those mountains?


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Once you’ve discussed Psalm 121, turn to read Romans 5:1-5: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Prayer Pointers The problem of suffering is one of the most difficult areas of Christian theology. It’s important to recognise that God doesn't command our suffering, but that he can work something beautiful from it, if only we let him. Pray together that God will use our trials and tribulations for his purposes, and strengthen us for the mountains that are still to come.

Questions • Paul faced many trials in his efforts to face the gospel. What value does he

see in those trials and struggles? • What is God’s role in the trials that we face? • What is the significance of hope when it comes to scaling the mountains of

our lives? Discussion Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson had to endure numerous failed attempts at the Dawn Wall, before they got it right. Even on their final, successful ascent, there were moments when it looked like the dream had died. After slipping from the same spot for the tenth time in seven days, Kevin Jorgeson could muster an eleventh attempt only because he had acquired the character that comes with perseverance. How can we learn from and value the inevitable failures when it comes to scaling our own “Dawn Wall”?

Week 9: Called to Worship

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Introduction: Called to Worship

This week’s study looks at the role which worship plays in helping us find and follow our calling. Worship is something which connects to our creator and enables us to hear his voice, and so it is an essential part of our Christian journey. Indeed, learning to worship in every area of our lives is the very foundation of Christian calling. Book Extract Worship is ultimately the key to our callings: the place where much of what is hidden from our understanding is unlocked. Worship is the place where we receive wisdom and revelation, where our eyes are enlightened to know the hope to which God has called us (Ephesians 1:17–18). It opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities and fresh challenges. It quickens our conscience. It is thus where our callings start, are strengthened, and are sustained. We cannot stay the course of our callings without it. It is both the entry point into a new way of living for God and an exit from the encircling pressures of life around us, which can draw us away from or dilute our first love of God. The Holy Spirit leads us into worship as the ultimate goal of our lives. Worship is a whole- of- life experience and an attitude of the heart. It is the alignment of our hopes and desires with those God has for us. The more aligned our wills are with his will, the more effective our lives become. The more intimate we are prepared to be, the more we will find worship opening up our closed lives. In worship, we lay down our crowns and ambitions, we escape our self-centredness and self- indulgences, and we find our perspectives restored in the light of his love. Worship is to calling what the air is to breathing: life- giving, essential, impossible to survive without. Without worship the experienced life of Christ is dormant within us, and his Spirit is grieved. True worship celebrates our callings. We are drawn into the greatest privilege for a human being: to worship the living God. The book of Revelation ends with the invitation, “Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17). This is what sustains, refreshes, nourishes, and strengthens us— this water of life, the only true elixir that will give us eternal worshipping life. Worship is the most important thing I can do on this earth. The great opening sentence of the Bible— “In the beginning God . . .” (Genesis 1:1)— captures this starting point for all worship. It was his initiative. I could not worship him unless he had first put that desire into my heart by allowing his Son to change my life. It is a fundamental tenet of my life that trust in Jesus Christ changes everything. And the exciting part is that worship is the way in which, through this extraordinary two- way street of encounter, we are able to commune with God himself. What greater calling could there be on our lives?


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But perhaps the greatest truth is that we can worship him wherever we are. We do not need to go to some special place. The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well (John 4) was told that no longer would believers have to worship in a particular place— Jerusalem— or in a particular way, or at a particular time. Instead we would worship “in the Spirit and in truth” (v. 24). A whole new world opened up. We can meet God anywhere at any time, enabled by his Spirit, even at work! (Know Your Why, p.179-180)

Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Psalm 139:13-18

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts God! How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you.

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to them to share their observations and reflections on worship.

Activity The words of Psalm 139 are beautiful. Ask each person to find a comfortable spot by themselves, and spend some time meditating on the passage, line by line. It might be helpful for one of the group leaders to read out a line at a time. Discussion In this Psalm, the Psalmist’s praise flows out of a place of recognising that God has placed a calling on his life. But everything originates from a place on intimacy with the Father. How do we find that intimacy with God in our daily lives?


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Once you’ve discussed Psalm 139, turn to read Colossians 3:12-17: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Prayer Pointers Worship lies at the heart of our callings as Christians, however we often relegate it to our Sunday church gathering. Pray together that God will inspire us to worship him in our daily lives, living in the spirit of a worshipping community.

Questions • Worship is mentioned, in one form or another, several times in this passage.

What are the purposes of worship that Paul describes? • What, according to Paul, does a worshipping community look like? • Where, ultimately, do those qualities come from? Discussion If our workstation is our worship station, then the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience which Paul tells us is the mark of a worshipping community, is not reserved just for explicitly Christian settings. Being worshippers at work means embodying these virtues at work. How can cultivate a spirit of worship in all areas of our daily life?

Week 10: Called to Break Borders

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Introduction: Called to Break Borders Our final study looks at the role the Spirit plays in helping us to break out of our comfort zone. It’s so easy to see our calling through the lens of our own expectations and preconceptions. But we mustn’t put God in a box, or restrict the scope of his call in our lives. When we let the Spirit of God into our lives, we will find ourselves breaking out of the border we have set ourselves. Book Extract All of us have preconceptions of how God should work in our lives. We need the Spirit to show us how these assumptions might not be the true understanding of his ways. In Acts 1, the last question the disciples asked of the risen Lord before his ascension was, “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (v. 6 ESV). In other words, “When are we going to have executive authority so we can throw the Romans out?” In that one sentence, they showed that they misunderstood Jesus' mission of the three previous years. They still longed for a new regime: they wanted to define a group of people living in a finite geographical area and sharing a particular privilege. They fixated on their expectations of a political regime change. They had not grasped the message of grace, which transcends borders. Then, in the powerful response, the paradigm was broken. Their model was one of an enclosed group, but Jesus replied, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (v. 8). He now comes to establish a new dynamic in which his power is not restricted to one people but can be given to all people. Jesus continued, “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). He could not have made it clearer that there are no limits to the power and the reach of God in heaven to the peoples of earth. Perhaps the most moving account of a barrier being broken is the exchange between Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10. We need to read this seminal exchange with the same openness to the Spirit that Peter had. There will be the same challenges in our time as there were for Peter. Peter saw a vision filled with every imaginable unclean, non-kosher animal, which must have been anathema to every instinct he had. He heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat” (v. 13). He resisted and was rebuked with the words, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean” (v. 15). This happened three times, and then the vision disappeared. Peter, despite being “inwardly perplexed” (v. 17 ESV), had heard the Spirit speak to him. In obedience, he followed. He mentioned the difficulty of his position and concluded, “But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean” (v. 28 ESV). Peter then stood up and said, “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (v. 34–35). This graphic encounter surely lies behind the great statement of the borderless Christ of Saint Paul: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).


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Here, at the start of the life of the church, is a clear and powerful example of how we are called to behave around people of different backgrounds, cultures, languages, religions, and lifestyles. This liberating story should guide us each day when we encounter the inevitable differences of the workplace. God created all the people we live and work with; he loves each one of them and calls us to respect them while remaining firm in our calling to serve him alone as we demonstrate his love to others. (Know Your Why, p.181-182)

Bible Study Once you’ve discussed some of the ideas in the extract, turn to Scripture and as a group read the following verses from Genesis 12:1-7: The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Discussion Take a few moments to discuss the ideas in the extract. Ask participants to them to share their observations and reflections.

Questions • When God tells Abraham to go to Canaan, Abraham doesn’t hesitate in obeying.

What reasons could Abraham have given for not going to Canaan? • What reason does Abraham have for obeying God without question? • God doesn’t tell Abraham to build an altar, he does it spontaneously. Why is

that significant? • Abraham doesn't go on his journey alone. Why is that important for us? Discussion God calls us to break the borders that we have set for ourselves. Discuss together the excuses we give on a daily basis for not following where we think God might be calling us. How can we overcome the barriers that we have created?


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Once you’ve discussed Genesis 12, turn to read Acts 2:1-12: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’

Prayer Pointers Only by the Spirit of God will we find and fulfil the callings that God has given us. Pray together for a renewed infilling of God’s Spirit, that we might break borders for the Kingdom of God.

Questions • What do the wind and the fire at Pentecost signify? • Why is this event so significant? • What’s the link between Pentecost and the Old Testament story of the Tower

of Babel? Discussion Spend a couple of minutes at the start of your discussion trying to name as many languages as you can. The incredible story of Pentecost is that barrier of language is broken down by God’s Spirit. What other barriers that separate us from each other can we seek to overcome in the power of the Spirit?

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Further resources Do you know what it means to live each day with purpose?

God calls us to the work we are doing. He’s interested not only in what we do but how we do it. Yet, finding purpose at work is one of the greatest challenges in our world today, and many of us struggle to live out our faith from Monday to Friday.

Wherever you are at, our passion is to encourage you to integrate your faith and work and propel you to be an agent of the kingdom of God in your workplace. Our practical and authentic resources are intended to equip you for your unique challenges and opportunities.

We think these resources have the potential to transform your life at work.

If you want are interested in more resources then go to godatwork.org.uk. Our social media channels are where you will find more inspirational and practical content covering the everyday challenges faced at work and helping you explore your God-given purpose, skills and talents to truly influence our culture for the glory of God.

God at Work Conversations Twelve essential Conversations to inspire the way you work. We are inviting you to eavesdrop on conversations between Ken Costa, businessman and author of God at Work, and Pete Hughes, Pastor of Kings Cross Church, and then to start your own work-based conversations.

It’s flexible. Use it as an individual, in small groups (at work or church), or in large groups or church settings. You can watch one film, pair them up or run it as a course. This guide will help you work out what’s best for you.

Strange Kingdom Is the Cross of Christ relevant to anything I do at work? Absolutely. Find out how it is in Strange Kingdom, a new teaching series from God at Work. Create 10 minutes in your diary each week and join Ken where you will have time to reflect on the cross, to be still, to meditate on scripture and to pray before launching into the busyness of the week ahead.

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