Living a Life of Integrity

Proverbs 10:9 “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”

Matthew 5:37 “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

Step 10: Continual Self-Reflection. The book says, "it is easier to quickly admit when I am wrong than it is to have to go back later." Why is "promptly" admitting our wrongs so important for maintaining spiritual and relational health?

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James 1:22 says to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only." How does the daily practice of Step 10—examining our ways—help us move from being hearers to being doers?

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Step 11: Seeking God. The author shares the Serenity Prayer and the Lord's Prayer as foundational to his journey. Which phrases from these prayers stand out to you as most needed in your life right now?

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A variety of prayer types are mentioned: repentance, intercession, gratitude, worship, and talking with the Holy Spirit. Which of these types of prayer comes most naturally to you? Which is the most challenging?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The book talks about aligning our desires with God's plan, which requires "prayerful discernment and seeking wise counsel." How do you personally try to discern God's will when making a decision?

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The chapter states that aligning our will with God's is not about losing our identity, but about refining our dreams and seeing them "fulfilled in the grandeur of God’s perfect design for our lives." How does this perspective change the act of surrender from a sacrifice of loss to a joy?

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Reflection: How is your "conscious contact" with God? Is it a regular conversation, or does it feel distant? What is one practical thing that helps you feel more connected to Him?

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Action Step: Choose one new prayer practice to try this week. It could be: 1) Starting a gratitude list to read daily. 2) Choosing a person to pray for daily (intercession). 3) Finding 10 minutes of quiet to just meditate on a single verse.

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Pray together using the structure of the Lord's Prayer. Start by worshiping God ("Hallowed be Your name"), surrender to His will ("Your kingdom come"), ask for your needs ("Give us this day"), seek forgiveness and the strength to forgive ("Forgive us our debts"), and ask for guidance and protection ("Lead us not into temptation").