Following Jesus is rarely easy. Rather, it’s often inconvenient and uncomfortable. Jesus would summarize following him with an invitation to “lose your life, pick up your cross, and follow me.” Following Jesus is hard. But we follow Him because it’s best. Not easiest, but best.
1. How have Christians misrepresented what it means to follow Jesus? In your life, have you ever been exposed to those ideas personally? How did you find out those particular misrepresentations were untrue?
2. Have you ever felt like you were in a situation where Jesus didn’t care? What was that situation like?
3. God uses uncomfortable and inconvenient situations to bring us to a better place in life and faith. Have you ever been through a situation that you can look back on and say that God used it do just that? What was the situation and how was the end point better?
4. In order to get where we have never been, we have to do what we have never done. When have you done something new, scary, or unfamiliar to get somewhere or accomplish something? What do you remember best from that time?
5. Has there ever been a situation you felt called to but didn't go because it would be uncomfortable? How might your life be different if you had gone anyways? Is there a step you feel called to take now? What are the risks? Do you feel you can trust that situation to God and move forward anyways? What are you going to do with that?
6. If you step up and step out God will show up and show out. What have you been putting off doing that you need to do? In what areas of your life and faith have you grown complacent? What’s your next step? How will you step up and step out?
7. How does your focus affect your faith? Have there been times in your life when you have seen this in action?
Take your next step.
Whatever it is. Take your step.
