1. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,              according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout

    all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” If you agree that hope sees, faith believes, trust acts and love                    persists, have you used a faith-filled imagination to paint a picture of the future and are using your new normal        Christian habits to get there? ​​

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​​2. Have you bent your will towards God’s? ​

• Do you walk in love with a sense of peace (peace with God and yourself) despite secular feedback? Consider how well you have mastered the "Art of Self-management in a Social World" by practicing Joshua 1:9? ("Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”)

  • ​If not, is self-motivated pride, unbelief, and comfortable habits or public-motivated feelings of shame and fear keeping you stuck and holding you back from achieving a psychosocial balance? Do you often feel depressed, anxious, or angry?

  • ​Before answering, consider whether your identity is wrapped up in Christ, your own self-concept, or the approval of friends and family? (Matthew 9:16, Romans 6:6, 13:14, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:9-14).

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• Self-sufficiency anchored “in Christ” produces Eternal Excellence (E  ) in you -- spirit, soul, & body (C  )! In what specific ways have you allowed the Holy Spirit to change your ABCs to D(A+B) = E  ?

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3. Seed, time and harvest is a principle used throughout the Bible, have you adjusted your expectations to God's        time table? In light of this difference in timing, can you see and agree that God’s promises are yes and amen in      Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:19-21)? Consider;

• Are you growing in patience and self-control?

• Do you “put on love” instead of letting anger, fear, worry, shame or doubt corrupt your behavioral decisions? 

• ​How does hope, built on faith in the Triune God, change how you look at and approach the daily circumstances of life?

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4. Are you at peace with your new identity in Christ (D(A+B)=C  )? Consider these questions in your answer:

• Do you practice holy habits in public? Why or why not?

• Can you see how God’s love for you frees you to love others and feel the inner peace? ​​​

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5. Trust is an essential factor in decision-making and a variable in anxiety. Who do you trust? 

 

• How and to whom do you measure your integrity (your consistency between thought and action and your public A, B, C’s)?​

• What is the relationship between trust in God and your anxiety level?

• Unbelief in a Christian is seen by others as a failure to follow biblical principles and, according to the cognitive dissonance theory, is the reason for anxiety in a Christian. Do you agree? Why or Why not?

• Are you impulsive (desire driven) or intentional (value driven)?

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6. Anxiety isn’t relieved until conflicting thoughts are reconciled. The attitudes of instant gratification and waiting        are at odds. Instant gratification is seeing life through your own eyes - a human condition, but “waiting on the          Lord” is Divinely inspired and is living life through the filter of love towards others. In what areas do you see            your will and God’s clashing with each other?

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• How do you resolve this? ​

• What stops you from being and doing love God's way? 

 

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7. Have you decided to make an intentional decision to find other like-minded people who want to stay full of            God so you can enjoy safe, social fellowship? Consider:

• Does your own assessment of your demeanor and personality match up with how your friends would describe you? 

• ​How does the description differ based on the types of friends you keep?​

• Can others see your hope through your humble attitude and your integrity to God? 

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• Will you decide to limit social encounters with your old neighbors/neighborhood so you can build a new reputation and stay strong in the faith?​​

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8. A cognitively consistent Christian actively rests in Christ; are you? (Experiences peace from abiding in Christ and producing fruit, despite the norms of a secular world.)

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• What feeling do you get when you actively rest in the Lord?

• Do you experience unrest when your faith is passive (or stuck in your heart) but not expressed in your actions? 

• Read Appendix 1A in light of the section "The Art of Self-Management" called "Actively Rest in Christ".

       Do you "Take Hold of Faith"?

 

 

 

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