Do you know what it feels like to run on empty? The alarm clock rings too early. Your day’s to-do list exceeds the number of hours in the day. Lunch goes by unobserved. Then, suddenly, it’s evening—and time to lead your WordGo group. You need to be ready and available for others, but in a panic, you realize, “I’ve barely breathed since breakfast!” If this scenario sounds familiar, it might be worth asking yourself: How did I get to this point? What changes do I need to make?
As a WordGo Guide, you have weekly opportunities to create a space for others to unwind, wonder, and worship God through Bible study. Under your care, Group Members explore deep thoughts, share scriptural insights, and unravel contradictory beliefs. To guide these complicated interactions well, you need to be alert, attuned to the Holy Spirit, and prepared to the best of your ability.
But most of all, you’ll need to prioritize personal time with God, seeking the care of your Heavenly Father. Only when your connection with God is authentic and life-giving will you be able to equip others biblically through genuine love and encouragement. So, let’s look at some practical steps you can take to establish spiritual rhythms for yourself:
If you find yourself rushing your Bible study or cramming the night before you gather together, stop and rethink your daily and weekly cadence. When our Bible study becomes a sprint, we rob ourselves of discovering a joyful, repeatable momentum and get discouraged or drained instead. So, consider how you might integrate your WordGo study into your schedule.
When in your day do you tend to slow down or need to slow down? How might doing a section of your WordGo study help you do so? Will you start with five or ten minutes?
Perhaps it’s building from five, ten, to fifteen minutes daily across your week. As you give yourself permission to try different strategies, ask God to help you discover a sustainable rhythm that energizes and ignites you.
When preparing to guide others in a passage, we often study with an outward focus instead of an inward one. We think about how others might answer, where they might struggle, and how to prepare ahead to help keep the conversation on track. While this is necessary and fruitful, do you consciously mull over the passage as you go about daily tasks?
During the week, challenge yourself to take the personal application questions found in your daily study to heart.
As you work, cook, clean, walk, and care for others, ask God to help you apply what you’ve learned to your everyday situations. As you apply God’s Word on a profoundly personal level, your Group Members will grow more motivated to do the same.
God provides for every creature He has made. He feeds the birds, shines the sun on the grass, and gives us our daily bread. We do not have strength or goodness of our own, but God gives it to us generously through the Holy Spirit. You cannot meet the needs of others without the help of God who provides for you. So, where are you coming up empty?
Make time to pray to your Provider. Ask Him to meet your weaknesses with His wisdom and fortitude. Practice thanking Him for all the ways He provides, big and small. As you walk through the week, don’t forget to unwind, sing praises, and share how you’re doing with friends.
Ask yourself at the beginning of each week, “What do I need to be a good Group Guide this week?” Then, actively seek God’s provision.
As Group Guides, we’re privileged to grow in God’s Word alongside Group Members. God grows new friendships and provides people who inspire us with new ideas. He also grows our awareness of others’ needs and develops our care for them. But there is a fine line between loving diligence and an overburdened responsibility.
Remember, God is in control of all things, people, circumstances, and outcomes. As God leads you to care for others, consider how you might set healthy boundaries, so you are not stretched beyond your means. For instance:
- Encourage everyone to honor the start and end times of your session.
- Set expectations of how much you will communicate outside Group Gatherings.
- Remember you are not responsible for people’s willingness to share or participate in discussion.
Trust that Your Heavenly Father cares for you, accomplishes all things, and strengthens you for His purposes. When we’re running on empty, stuck in our ways, and needing a change, He can help us establish new rhythms to grow us in spiritual maturity. So, as you prepare for next week’s Group Gathering, try putting these practical steps into practice:
- think sustainable.
- make it personal.
- seek God’s provision.
- and know your limits.
For more help on running your group, visit our journal at wordgo.org
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