faithful representation rather than self-advancement. 2. Ask your spouse for honest feedback : Invite your spouse to speak candidly about how your ministry life affects your marriage and home. Listen without defending yourself or explaining away what you hear. Ask gentle questions such as, “Where have I been absent or distracted?” or “How can I better serve you as Christ’s representative at home?” Seek to view their perspectives as “God’s invisible grace” and an opportunity for repentance and renewal. 3. Evaluate your Ministry Calendar : Prayerfully consider your ministry and family calendars. Identify one adjustment you could make for a more balanced approach to these callings. 4. Bring grace into your home : Spend some time in prayer and reflection on how you can be an ambassador of Christ’s message, methods, and character in your home. Write out concrete ways you can bring grace into your home. Search Me, O God For prayerful introspection during the coming week, choose a few of these questions that resonate with you and write your thoughts in a journal as you bring them before the Lord. • Where am I quietly building the kingdom of self instead of the kingdom of God, and how does that show up in the way I lead, speak, or measure success? • What would those closest to me say about how I represent Christ at home? • In what ways has my ministry become more about image, approval, or control rather than faithfulness to Christ? • How has my desire for self-glory disguised itself as obedience in my life? • Where do I most need God’s grace to meet me right now? What is one truth about God’s grace I most need to remember? For More from Paul Tripp, Read: Do You Believe? , Introduction: The Dangerous Dichotomy
Session 1
MARRIAGE AND MINISTRY
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