It’s Your Move — a summary of the Andy Stanley series

This summer we have been gathering at the Campus Life House on 68^th and Pine Lake every Thursday night at 7 pm. We start with either a meal or some worship, watch a video of Andy Stanley, and then break into small groups for a discussion. We are about to wrap up a series called “Your Move”, which is about learning how to make wise decisions by asking yourself four questions.

The first is “Am I being honest with myself?” or, “Why am I doing this… really?” “We don’t often ask ourselves this because it’s convicting and uncomfortable. There are times we don’t really want to know why we’re making a certain choice.” Andy makes the case that most of us aren’t on a truth quest, we’re on a happiness quest, and that because “our hearts are deceitful above all else” (Jer 17:9), we will talk ourselves into unwise decisions. It can be terrifying, but identifying the motivation behind a decision—insecurity, laziness, selfishness, pride—can be the “truth that sets you free” (John 8:32) if you let it.

The next question to ask yourself is, “What story do I want to tell?” Andy says, “In every transition and every decision-making environment, we’re writing the script for [our] story.” When making decisions he suggests it’s incredibly important to stop and ask which choice best fits your story so far and what God has done in your life so far. He points to Joseph’s life—how Joseph (see Genesis 37-50) took responsibility in each situation, facing each dilemma and making tough choices that were consistent with his life of God-centered integrity and faithfulness. He also points to Joseph’s brothers, who had to lie for years to cover up the poor choice they made. “Write your story well—and live your story well—because in the future you want to be able to tell the whole story. What you do now really does matter.”

The third question to ask is “Is there a tension that needs my attention?” We call this tension a “red flag” or a “twinge of conscience.” It’s tempting to ignore the tension, “but instead of taking that risk—and especially since we can never really know the future—we need to entrust our lives to the only One who does know the future.” The final question to ask ourselves is, “What would be most honoring to God?” We all live to glorify someone and it’s tempting to make that someone us, but living for our own glory makes us insignificant.

Live for God’s glory! What freedom is found there! Live a life that others celebrate!