– Learning to see yourself and your life the way God does –
Have you ever wondered what God thinks when He looks at you? Is He impressed? Is He disappointed? Is He upset or delighted? Is God even paying attention to you? God has a lot to say about you because He does care about who you are and what you are doing. He loves you and He knows what will allow you to become the best version of you. Knowing yourself really begins with knowing your maker.
Unless you plan to set time aside to reflect on and think about what God is doing in your life you will just be reacting to everything that happens to you and you will not be able to become the best that God wants to see you become. Reflection and meditation both relate to how you think about who you are and what God is doing in your life. Here are some ways you can mediate in a way that honors God and helps you become the person God has created you to be:
- Take time often to reflect on what motivates you by asking yourself “Why”: Why did you get angry? Why did you want to win so badly? Why did you feel so hurt when your friend said something?
- We really don’t know ourselves as much as we think we do. The more time we spend in reflection, the more we will understand how our mistakes and disobedience comes from not trusting God and believing lies. Then we can learn to trust God more.
- Memorize verses and think about what they mean throughout the day. God tells us often to meditate on His words.
- Talk with God and then with others frequently about all sorts of questions you have about life. By asking God and people who love Him about what God thinks about all sorts of things we start to understand more of the way God thinks. We could ask questions all day for the rest of our lives on earth and we still wouldn’t know God fully but we would become very wise!
It is easy to worry about things we are afraid of or complain about what we don’t have. Instead train yourself to meditate (think about) things that are good and things that you can be thankful for.
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.“ – Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Questions
- What is a verse that you like to think about?
- What situation can the verse can help you with?
- When does the verse teach you?
- What does God say about you and others in that verse?
- Think about the last time you got very upset:
- What made you so upset?
- Did you make any bad decisions because you were upset?
- Would you do anything differently if you could go back in time?
- What does God say about what you can do at a time like that?
- What can you learn about yourself from this?
- What has God been teaching you lately?
- What do you think God wants you to learn about right now?
- What are some verses that talk about this?
- What can you do to learn in this way?
- What is something difficult that you are dealing with right now?
- How do you think God would like you to grow through this?
- What do you think you can do to grow in this difficult situation?
More Discussion Ideas
Alternate Descriptions
- Reflecting on what God has done and what He wants to do in your life
- Thinking about how God is at work in your life
- Thinking about what God has done and what He wants to do in your life
- Focusing your thoughts on God and His truths
Multimedia Resources
Parent Resources
Reflection in the Christian Life – Short article about the need for reflection