Pathway to Wellbeing - Week 8
Today we are considering vocational wellbeing. The Bible tells us God has
prepared good works in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). So, whether you
are in paid employment or engage your energies in other ways, this subject is
equally applicable. We were designed as purposeful human beings.
In this session we have input from Dr Dave Smith, author of ‘God’s Plan For Your Wellbeing’ and originator of this series, and Jill Garrett, executive director of Tentpeg Consulting.
In this session we have input from Dr Dave Smith, author of ‘God’s Plan For Your Wellbeing’ and originator of this series, and Jill Garrett, executive director of Tentpeg Consulting.
Starter Questions
• How do you answer the question ‘What do you do?’
• What do you think God thinks about how you use your time and energy?
• What do you think God thinks about how you use your time and energy?
Discussion Questions
1. What does Monday morning feel like to you?
2. Describe an occasion when you felt ‘I was made for this’. What energises you?
3. When have you lost motivation, what was happening and how did you turn this around? How do we keep motivated in what we do?
4. What do you do when your attitude isn’t right about work?
5. Who do you invest in? How could you/do you contribute to the wellbeing of others?
2. Describe an occasion when you felt ‘I was made for this’. What energises you?
3. When have you lost motivation, what was happening and how did you turn this around? How do we keep motivated in what we do?
4. What do you do when your attitude isn’t right about work?
5. Who do you invest in? How could you/do you contribute to the wellbeing of others?
Activities/Tools
1. How do you measure your success? Imagine looking back on this next year, how would you hope to have spent your time?
2. How do you celebrate the successes of others? How could you do this in the next month?
3. Complete the ‘six dials’ for wellbeing again and then compare them to the initial six dials on week one of this series. What has changed for you?
4. In what areas do you need to make further steps? How might you do this and who will you do this with?
5. If you have never decided to follow God with your whole life and would like to, your group leader can help you to do this and take next steps, or if you would like to explore following God they can recommend how you could do this.
Purpose for living
As you begin to think about your specific life purpose, here are a few final thoughts:
• Know that you are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14), and that you have a life pathway that is unique to you. Once again, let me encourage you not to fall into the comparison trap. Don’t evaluate yourself by what you may consider to be other people’s seemingly more glamorous or important callings. Your calling is the best one for you!
• Take a holistic approach that includes your work, your studies, your family life, and your broader responsibility to serving your church or community.
• Recognise that finding your life purpose is almost always a journey of discovery that includes a process of extensive self-assessment and experimentation, consultation with others and revelation from God.
• Understand that, like [the Olympic athlete] Eric Liddell, you may be fulfilling your vocation right now – but, as he discovered, you may have a different or even ultimate calling that lies somewhere else in the future.
As you begin to consider your unique pathway, why not start by asking these three questions:
• What can I do well? (Self-assessment and experimentation)
• What do others see in me? (Consultation)
• Is there an ultimate calling that I’ve not yet fulfilled? (Revelation)
• Know that you are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ (Psalm 139:14), and that you have a life pathway that is unique to you. Once again, let me encourage you not to fall into the comparison trap. Don’t evaluate yourself by what you may consider to be other people’s seemingly more glamorous or important callings. Your calling is the best one for you!
• Take a holistic approach that includes your work, your studies, your family life, and your broader responsibility to serving your church or community.
• Recognise that finding your life purpose is almost always a journey of discovery that includes a process of extensive self-assessment and experimentation, consultation with others and revelation from God.
• Understand that, like [the Olympic athlete] Eric Liddell, you may be fulfilling your vocation right now – but, as he discovered, you may have a different or even ultimate calling that lies somewhere else in the future.
As you begin to consider your unique pathway, why not start by asking these three questions:
• What can I do well? (Self-assessment and experimentation)
• What do others see in me? (Consultation)
• Is there an ultimate calling that I’ve not yet fulfilled? (Revelation)
Final Thought
Pray together as you end your group time. Pray for your work and any opportunities
and challenges you face.
We look forward to seeing you next week!