54948

What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do
Dr. Henry Cloud
Dr. John Townsend
1-59145-153-1

(The following is a combination of excerpts and my own interspersed thoughts, not so much a review, rrg)

“Most people cannot see God’s way for them because they have difficulty believing there is a way.”

There is a way out of trial and difficulty: God has given us helps (means) to know what to do when we don’t know what to do.

1. Principle 1: Begin Your Journey with God.
a. Believing doesn’t make a way; God does.
b. Needing God is not a weakness any more than needing air or food is a weakness; we are designed to depend on God.
c. In difficult or painful situations we tend to either repeat what hasn’t worked already or we stop trying altogether.
d. Matthew 5:3, “
2. Principle 2: Choose Your Traveling Companions Wisely.
a. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12,
b. “Your journey with God will be richer, more fulfilling, and more successful if you surround yourself with people who are committed to support you, assist you, and pray for you.”
c. Qualities and Characteristics to look for:
i. Support – help to shoulder the load.
ii. Love – 1Peter 4:8, value for the object in view
iii. Courage – Acts 27:25
iv. Feedback – Proverbs 25:12
v. Wisdom
vi. Experience
vii. Modeling – Hebrews 6:12
viii. Values – Hebrews 10:25
ix. Accountability
d. Who is there for you, pulling for you? Not afraid to tell you the truth, give you comfort, or educate you? Correcting, guiding you? Crying and celebrating with you?
3. Principle 3: Place High Value on Wisdom.
a. Recognize the value and need for the missing pieces of wisdom in your life; then ask God to show them to you and to help you to search actively for them.
b. Proverbs 24:14
c. James 1:2-5
d. Proverbs 3:19-20
e. Find the wisdom that applies to your situation.
4. Principle 4: Leave Your Baggage Behind.
a. Agree that you have a painful past.
b. Include others in your healing and grieving.
c. Receive forgiveness (vertical and horizontal relationships) Psalm 103:11-12.
d. Forgive others. Do not deny you are hurt; doesn’t mean you have to trust without change on their part.
e. Examine your ways for sinful patterns and behavior. “Ask God to make a way for you in to a better future by helping you to let go of the patterns of the past.”
f. See yourself through new eyes:
i. As loved with particular strengths and weaknesses.
ii. As letting go of those things that keep us from loving God and others, Luke 17:32.
5. Principle 5: Own Your Faults and Weaknesses.
a. Take responsibility for your life, own up to your faults, and accept blame where it is justified.
b. It’s your job to call on God to make a way where it is needed. Philippians 2:12B-13.
c. Take ownership over
i. Your own happiness
ii. Specific issues
iii. Needed resources
iv. Weaknesses and obstacles
v. Accountability
vi. Supporters
vii. The present: leave the future to God.
6. Principle 6: Embrace Problems as Gifts – that help you become a better person.
a. James 1:2-3
b. Hebrews 12:2a
7. Principle 7: Take Life as It Comes.
a. When God makes a way for us it usually takes time, so we must allow God time to work.
b. Time allows God’s hjealing ingredients to be applied to our situation.
c. Proverbs 21:5
d. Mark 4:26-29 – Sow whatever God has given you, then wait for the harvest. Time is the context for our involbement in the process.
8. Principle 8: Love God With All You Are.
a. Love God passionately with every area of your life, including your pain, fear, and despair.
b. Matthew 22:37-38.
c. Values are derived from God’s [Word].
d. Passions are fueled by God’s love for you.
e. Emotions may be expressed in a healthy way.
f. Hurts are unavoidable but not irresolvable.
g. Love for others should be invested in the right people.
h. Motives should be the same as God’s.
i. Sins should be in the past.
j. Talents are given for God’s glory and the good of others, including you.
k. Preferences and opinions are able to make life better for all of us.
l. Luke 22:42B.

1. Set goals – decide now and be specific.
2. Record progress – step by step.
3. Gather resources – people, programs, organizations.
4. Acquire information – educate yourself on the issues and become an expert.
5. Identify tasks and break them up into manageable portions – Is there a thought pattern to be adopted? Emotion to express? Action to perform? Habit to break or form?
6. Evaluate progress and make necessary adjustments.
7. Explore preferences for counselors, [programs, tools, classes, organizations.
a. All ingredients are critical.
8. Remain flexible. The plan serves you, not vice versa.
9. Pray continually. Your prayers have no power but the Person they go up to does.
10. Pace yourself and be patient. Give God time to work. ( )

The authors present eight Principles of the Way: 1) Begin Your Journey with God, 2) Choose Your Traveling Companions Wisely, 3) Place High Value on Wisdom, 4) Leave Your Baggage Behind, 5) Own Your Faults and Weaknesses, 6) Embrace Problems As Gifts, 7) Take Life As It Comes, 8) Love God with All You Are. ( )

This book covers the basic principles of using your own life as a lesson for learning more about your personal relationship with God and then taking this lesson and sharing it with others. There is also a workbook to accompany this book. ( )