Luke 17:5-10
Lead in: The apostles ask Jesus, “Increase our faith.”
Prompt: Where is it in your life that you could use a little more “high octane” faith in your spiritual tank?
Lead in: The request by the apostles for an increase in faith may have something to do with what Jesus had just told them. “If someone sins against you seven times in one day, forgive that person seven times.” It may be that they wanted more faith so they could forgive in the manner in which Jesus told them to forgive.
Prompt: If we’re to forgive seven times in one day, what are the daily annoyances for which you feel the need for more patience?
Lead in: In response to the request by the disciples for an increase in faith, Jesus likens faith to a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds. The image Jesus uses makes it clear. The faith you need is already in you and it takes just a little to do great things.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you felt inadequate for the job before you but you were given just enough to get the job done that you didn’t think you could.
Lead in: The prophet Habakuk lived at a time when Babylon threatened to destroy Jerusalem.
It appeared the enemy would prevail. Habakuk is frustrated and so he pleads with God, “I cry for help, but you do not listen.” Habakuk 1:1 God’s response to Habakuk seems vague. In effect, “If my answer to you seems slow in coming, wait for it. It’s on the way. It will arrive right on time.”
Habakuk 2:3
Prompt: Reflect on a time when you prayed for help and the way things turned out was not the answer you were looking for.
Lead in: Have you ever prayed to God for help and, like Habakuk, it was a thundering silence of no response?
Prompt: What did that seemingly unanswered prayer do to your faith?
Lead in: In 2 Timothy 1:6-8, Paul assures us, “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice.” The idea here is not to let fear take over, but to let the power of love be your strength.
Prompt: Reflect on a time when fear was knocking at your door and you wanted to run, but the power of love gave you the strength to hold your ground.