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Understanding Negative Thoughts and FeelingsReferring to Romans 5: 3-4, how do afflictions in our lives can lead to hope? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Discuss what each of the following words means to you. Affliction: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________Endurance: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________Proven Character: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________Hope: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________Can you think of any examples in your life where a struggle helped you understand God’s love? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Have you seen any examples in others’ lives? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to you that Jesus promises an eternity with Him, for those who believe? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How does this compare to our prayers when we focus on our lives on earth? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In Peter 3: 17, why do you think it is better to suffer for doing good? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How does this correlate to the positive reframing tool where negative feelings point to our core values? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Can you think of a time when you suffered, and it can be attributed to a positive core value of yours? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Can you see the will of God in your suffering? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Romans 5: 3-4 …but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit that has been given to us.Peter 3: 17 …it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.Change the Way You ThinkPaul tells us to think of what is above, not of what is on earth (Colossians 3: 2). How does it change your life to stay focused on what it above? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Does the messaging in our daily lives focus more on what is on earth? What are a few examples? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How does it feel when you get stuck focusing your thoughts on what is on earth? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A couple of distortions around judging ourselves, that we regularly think are self-blame, should statements, and labeling. Do these distortions originate on earth or “above?” How does that happen? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In Ephesians 4: 22-24, how does Paul give us hope that we can change the way that we think about our world? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the correlation between the following; When you feel shame or anxiety, identify your specific thoughts and challenge the distortions Put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4: 22) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Describe what the old self of your former way of life means to you (thoughts or behaviors) in your life. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does deceitful desires mean and what do you think makes them “deceitful?” ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth (Ephesians 4: 24)? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How can you keep God’s way in your thoughts as you see the world? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Colossians 3:2 think of what is above, not of what is on earth.Ephesians 4: 22-24 that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Self-AcceptanceWe see in Genesis 1: 27 that God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. Describe some characteristics God placed in you. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Of the characteristics, list them as strengths and weaknesses:StrengthsWeaknesses_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Why is it important that God created all of us completely unique? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Describe any shortcomings that you struggle to accept in yourself. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Who should you blame for your genetic imperfections, your parents or God? Do parents have any say in genetics? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Do you think God made a mistake by creating you imperfectly and why?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________What does it mean to you that Jesus told the woman caught in adultery (John 8; 11), Neither do I condemn you. Go, from now on do not sin anymore.? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Does Jesus teach us to stay focused on our shortcomings and our mistakes, or does he teach us to look ahead? Which do you do? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is forgiveness and how is it healing? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why is it easier to accept God’s forgiveness than your own? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mother Theresa said that “God has not called me to be successful. He called me to be faithful.” What is the significance of this statement? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Acceptance is a life lesson. What does it mean that “when the ego dies, the soul awakes,” and how does that correlate with Jesus’s teachings? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Genesis 1: verse 27 “God created man in his image, in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.”John 8: 10-11 “…Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She replied “No one, sir.” Then Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, from now on do not sin anymore.”Communication without ConflictIn Romans 12: 4-5, Paul teaches us that we are all parts that do not have the same function (in one body of Christ). What does he mean by functions in the body of Christ? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How does this compare to our society which drives comparisons and competition in our daily lives? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How would you feel if, instead of comparing yourself to your neighbor, you only saw strength in your differences? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In Philippians 2: 3, we learn, do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves. What does this teach us about seeking understanding from others’ truths? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We learned that, for true empathy we must set aside our own ego. How does Philippians 2:3 support or contradict that? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How would it impact your life to consider others as more important than yourself? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Give an example of one way you would change? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Consider Proverbs 11: When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with humble is wisdom. How does pride get in the way of connection with others? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Select your favorite quote from Mother Teresa: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name one way that you live by this teaching: ___________________________________________________________________________Name one way you have fallen short of this teaching: ____________________________________________________________________What can you change to make this even more influential in your life? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Romans 12: 4-5 For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.Philippians 2: 3 Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves...Proverbs 11 When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with humble is wisdom. ................
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