Why God Shaped You the Way He Did
Discovering God's Will for Your Life - Part 1
September 11-15, 2006

All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old.

Psalm 139:16b (NCV)

WHAT IS MY "SHAPE"

God loves variety. Look around and this truth is abundantly evident. What's more, God makes everything unique! With God, there are no copies. There has never been anyone like you before and there will never be another you again. That means you are a God-made original. Why did God do that? Because originals are always worth more than copies. In Psalm 139:13-16, David describes how God shaped and molded us - before we were even born! Understanding this truth is life-transforming. Discovering how God has wired us, what He has made us to do, is life-empowering. In this series, we'll take a closer look at our God-given:

Spiritual Gifts - we find them through serving; Heart - our passion for living; Abilities - what we love doing most; Personality - how God has wired us; Experiences - the trail of hopes and hurts God wants to use.

WHY SHOULD I CARE?

MONDAY

1. BECAUSE IT REVEALS GOD'S PURPOSE FOR ME!
[Your Objective: Recognize the eternal value of discovering your S.H.A.P.E.]

Carefully read Jeremiah 1:5. How long has God's plan for us existed? What specific purpose is declared here?

  • When you know how you were formed, how does that affect your function?
  • Why do many people continue to work at a job that doesn't fit their S.H.A.P.E.?

2. BECAUSE IT EQUIPS ME TO SERVE HIM
[Your Objective: Respond to God practically through discovering how He shaped you for service.]

What did God shape us to do, according to Isaiah 49:5?

  • What difference does it make in your life to know God specifically formed you for His purposes?
  • If God only asks you to do what He has equipped you for, why do you sometimes hesitate to do what He asks?
  • What are some examples of not using what God has equipped you with?

TUESDAY

3. BECAUSE LIFE IS A TEST
[Your Objective: Realize that life on earth is preparation for eternity.]

According to Psalm 33:14-15, where is God in your life right now? How aware is He of your activities?

  • How can you prepare to pass the test of being able to serve God well in eternity?
  • Which activities in your life would God be pleased to observe?
  • What roles or responsibilities in heaven would sound most exciting?

What promises do you discover in Luke 16:10-11?

  • How can you know if you're making the most of what you've been given?
  • What difference can understanding your unique S.H.A.P.E. make on earth and in eternity?

4. BECAUSE IT SHOWS GOD'S GLORY!
[Your Objective: Rejoice that God wants to reveal His nature through you.]

Why did God create us, according to His own words written in Isaiah 43:7?

What did God ask Moses, in Exodus 4:11?

  • What difference can it make if you learn to see yourself as God made you, just as He intended you to be?

Later in that same chapter, in verse 21, what does God say He made us to do?

  • How can some of your most difficult trials in life bring glory to God?
  • Describe how an inspirational person used his or her natural abilities or talents to bring glory to God.

Ministry - You serve God by serving others, and you do this best in full cooperation with His plan for your life. Knowing that, why do you think you should care about discovering why God shaped you as He did?

WEDNESDAY

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND?
[Your Objective: Embrace God's plan by accepting, receiving, and developing what God has given you.]

1. ACCEPTANCE: BELIEVE GOD KNOWS BEST

What is Paul saying about God's choice to make you the way He chooses in Romans 9:20? (See verses 19-21)

Job 10:10 (NLT) says, "You guided my conception and formed me in the womb." Compare this verse with Psalm 139:13-16. Who is given credit for creating you?

  • How do the above verses give God the right to lay claim to the purpose for which you were created?
  • What gives you confidence to trust that God knows what is best for you?
  • Why do you sometimes fail to accept that God's way for you is best and resist His leadership instead?

2. SALVATION: RECEIVE GOD'S LOVE

Psalm 119:41 in The Message paraphrase says, "Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promise." What is the basis of the psalmist's request for God's love to shape his life with salvation?

  • In what way are God's love and salvation connected?
  • How can you show that you understand the connection between God's love and salvation?
  • What difference can the knowledge that God is ready to fulfill this promise make as you examine your unique gifts, abilities and experiences?

THURSDAY

3. REFOCUS: DEVELOP WHAT'S INSIDE YOU

According to 1 Samuel 16:7, what is the difference between how God judges a man and how men judge Him?

  • What would you expect to be the difference in the way God "looks at the heart" of a person instead of the "outward appearance"?
  • How can you determine what is "inside of you"; how can you value what you find there?
  • What does it take to see more than the outward appearance of a person?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:10. Who did Paul credit for the person he was and the work he accomplished?

  • When you accomplish something great, to whom do you give the credit? When someone is praised for his/her special character qualities, who gets the credit?
  • When you make an effort to develop what is inside yourself what is the effect on people around you?

Worship (Magnification) - Using your entire life for God's glory is the ultimate expression of your worship, devotion, and surrender to God. What would be different if you truly gave your life completely to God? What are some ways we can begin to do a better job of this?

FRIDAY

PERSONAL APPLICATION AND COMMITMENT:
[Your Objective: Embrace God's plan for your life to give Him glory and live a life with meaning.]

Since God designed each of us individually, you need to understand your uniqueness. Your goal for this week is to take a first step toward understanding how to live according to His plan for your lives. In what way have you failed to accept the way God has created you? What is keeping you from actively pursuing something God has given you a passion for? Begin by affirming to God that you accept His design for your life, that you have personally received His love through the salvation available to you through Jesus Christ. What one step can you take to refocus your life direction and begin to develop what God has given you?