Most of us live life into our 30s before ever thinking about character. It’s only when we become parents or when we begin to face really tough decisions that we come face-to-face with “what we’re made of.”
Granted, no one’s perfect. But everybody is accountable to God for the decisions they make and the way they live their lives. When life’s pressures multiply, what comes out of us is only a manifestation of what’s inside of us.
God gave us thoughts and emotions to experience life, not destroy it! Handling our emotions can be a huge issue for women. To understand the root and the destructive power of guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy are important in order to walk in the Spirit and not according to our emotions. In addition, we’ve seen how even mature Christians can destroy their lives if they do not have Godly character.
If we have Godly character and reflect the person of Jesus Christ, we’ll positively influence every environment and relationship we’re in. Though the power for godly character and emotions comes from Jesus Christ, the responsibility for developing and displaying that godly character and emotions is ours.
Tools & Challenges for Growth
Scripture Memory:
One of the best ways to grow spiritually is simply by memorizing scripture and praying it back to God. Bury His Word in your heart:
Use the wallpaper below to put on your phone (press + hold your finger on the pic).
Print it to use as a bookmark.
Write it down in your journal or on index cards.
Pray it out loud each day throughout the month.
Challenge yourself to recite it without peeking.
Quiet Time:
Make it your goal to have quiet time 5 times per week.
Suggested Book:
Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ - Dallas Willard
Other Book Choices:
Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands - Jen Wilkin
Enemies of the Heart - Andy Stanley
Pursuit of Holiness - Jerry Bridges
The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions About God - Dan Allender and Tremper Longman
As you read or when you’re finished with the book, write a summary of the key insights God gave you and any applications to your life. Think through the following questions:
In what ways did God encourage or challenge me through this book?
Are there any new truths I need to apply to my life?
Personal Challenge:
Your Character Weakness - Closely examine yourself in light of the book we read on character and brainstorm a weakness of yours. Every one of us has some character flaw, some issue, some habit we’re holding on to. Don’t be overly hard on yourself, we’re looking to identify an area where we can improve. Come ready to share with the group what your issue is, and how you plan to address it.
Marriage Focus (if applicable):
Looking For What’s Good - When you’re working on your marriage, it’s easy to start tossing out compliments. But praise is only powerful when it’s based on something real, something observed. This month, you’re going to identify your husband’s character traits, back them up with real-life examples, and share them with him. From the list below, circle three characteristics that are true of your husband. There may be more than three, but for this exercise, pick the top three. Feel free to come up with your own.
For three of the items you circled, think of an actual incident illustrating this characteristic of your husband. Write the characteristic and an example where you’ve seen her display it in your journal. Then, create some time that’s just focused on the two of you and share your list. Let him know how much you appreciate her, and the characteristics God built into him. Come to your group ready to share what happened.
*Adapted from Gottman, John; Nan Silver (2002-02-04). The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. Random House, Inc.
Growth Partner Challenge:
Share the three characteristics you admire about your husband and the examples you recalled backing them up. Then discuss the aspect of your character that most frustrates you, that you continue to struggle with. Ask for input and help in addressing this struggle.
Other Resources:
How To Deal With What You Feel
Negative Feelings - Renew Your Mind With The Truth
