Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18 …as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Summary: We are constantly inclined to depend on our own abilities, strengths, and resources, and we must shift our dependence back onto the power of the Holy Spirit. Three focal points will help us to make this shift: 1) we must see our desperate weakness and helplessness so that we will stop trying to rely on ourselves and depend on the power of the Holy Spirit; 2) we must see the reliable power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all his will in us; and 3) we must reject self-reliance and cultivate humility and godliness in its place. Humility and godliness grow when we meditate on what Christ did for us on the cross. Finally, when we depend on both the righteousness of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, "we work hard in the strength he provides, not to earn merit but to glorify and enjoy him." (146)
Discussion: Do you believe the last two sentences on page 137 are true? If so, how can you apply this to your life?
What is godliness and how does it address our self-reliance at its roots? (143-144)
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