VHG DISCUSSION: THE JOURNEY – PART 2

GOD & PATH

Summary:

Part 2 in this series focuses on what is perhaps the most difficult, if not mysterious, aspect of the journey: the Path. Scripture teaches that it is God, not men, who determines the way that we must take to arrive at destiny [Ex. 13:17-18]. We may know a shorter, even quicker way; however, we never choose it, even in the most trying times [Job 23:10]. One would think, though, that an omniscient and good God would choose the path of least resistance for His people to travel; however, biblical history has shown that this is never the case- just ask Jesus [Matt. 26:39]. The paths God chooses always come with obstacles to overcome, challenges to conquer, seas to cross, sorcerers to sidestep, and laws to live by. In this fallen world, the people of God can access destiny only through patience, pressure, and pain; however, when the promise is realized, it will make us forget the perils of the journey [John 16:21]. Let’s spend some time discussing this often-misunderstood aspect of our journey to better grasp what it really takes to finish well.

Discussion Questions:

• According to Scripture, God chooses the path that His people must take when moving them from deliverance into destiny. This path, however, is often filled with many unexpected challenges which, if mismanaged, will have a negative impact on our faith, leading to feelings of dismay and discouragement [Ex. 14:10-12]. The solution to these challenges is, of course, faith, but what does that mean practically? Discuss, in practical terms, what is meant by the phrase “for we walk by faith” [2 Cor. 5:7]. What does faith look like when faced with overwhelming odds or insurmountable obstacles? Is it alright to have faith and still be afraid in crisis?
• The Heart Conclusion – It is the heart of our Senior Pastor that all of God’s people learn, grow, and thrive in their faith, ultimately becoming people who are never moved or disaffected by their natural senses; rather, they are governed and led by faith in what they have heard through the voice [John 10:27], and from the word of their God [Rom. 10:17].
• According to Scripture, patience is a virtue when journeying with God toward destiny [Heb. 10:36]. When studied closely, patience is the way to experience [Rom. 5:3-4]; however, waiting can be a difficult experience for the believer, especially when feeling that they have done all the right things. In the words of an old African American saying, “How long…Not long.” Heightening the difficulty of waiting are the additions of pressure and pain. Share some concrete ways that believers can manage the waiting season, live through the pressure, and endure the pain of the journey.
• The Heart Conclusion – It is the heart of our Senior Pastor that all of God’s people cultivate the type of patience that embraces the pressure, endures the pain, producing the necessary experience which unleashes the kind of hope that eliminates all forms of shame on their way to the realization of their glorious end, [Rom. 5:4-6].