This devotional is provided free for friends of the Compass Program. Compass equips and empowers participants for their role in God ’ s best story. For more information on Compass, visit www. compasspath.org WHAT IS COMPASS TIME? Compass Time is the term we use to describe an hour for you to take each da y to spend in prayer, reflection and Scripture. It’s a time each day when you can ‘reset the Compass’ by connecting with God deeply in a variety of ways. Whenever you do a Compass Program, this will be a crucial part of the daily schedule. But it’s also possible to do it wherever you are! We recommend that you try and do it first thing when you wake up. (If you eat breakfast each day, it’s probably a good idea to do Compass time after breakfast so you’re not distracted by hunger.) INSTRUCTIONS FOR WHAT TO DO DURING COMPASS TIME To start, f ind a place you like and make that your routine spot for Compass Time Make sure it’s comfortable and free of distraction but not so comfortable that you’ll fall asleep. Pause. Be still. Listen. Breathe. Pray. Thank God for this time. Commit to using it wisely. Go to the journal for the day and work through it. Each day in the journal is divided into different sections: PERSONAL REFLECTION Think about the opening questions. Let them sink in. Write down some of your thoughts. BIBLICAL REFLECTION Read the given Bible passages slowly. Meditate on the verses. Let the words sink in. Read the passage a second time if you have time. Answer the questions. JOURNAL RESPONSE Think about the questions ask ed. Start writing what comes to your mind. Answer as many of the questions as you can, focusing on ones that particularly stick out to you. Journal about anything in the day’s devotional. COMPASS JOURNALING INSTRUCTIONS Putting your thoughts and experie nces into words helps to interpret and remember them so that you can best apply them as the rich resources that they are in your life. Write your answers and reflections for the daily devotionals you read during Compass Time either on these pages or in yo ur personal journal . Th is jou rnal intentionally asks lots of questions to get you thinking. Not every question must be answered. Focus on the ones that stick out to you Day 1 Personal Reflection Imagine that you are lost deep in the w oods or an unknown part of your city . You don’t know north from south and have no idea which way to go. Panic is setting in. Your head begins to spin. Now think about your life. Think of a time when you felt lost in your life, or not quite sure. Maybe right now you’ re asking, “Wh at’s going on? What am I doing with my life ?” How do you know what to do? How do you know which way to go or what to trust ? Biblical Reflection When you’re lost or confused or not sure, and you set out in the wrong direction, the situation is only going to get worse. Your direction of travel makes all the difference! Read Psalm 119... Ok, maybe it’s too long to read it all right now, so start with verses 33 – 40. What do you see here that has anything to do with direction of travel? ? Now read verses 105 – 112. Again, same question — What does this have to do with direction of travel? ? Now read Psalm 23. Do you see it again, particularly in verse 3? ? This basic idea is found everywhere in the P salms; in fact, it is found everywhe re in the Bible: God’s word provides direction. It shows us the right path. That’s why it’s called the path of righteousness. God’s word is the best compass ever. Here’s the way Isaiah put it to the people of Israel in about 700 BC: “Whether you turn to t he right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” See Isaiah 30 for this quotation and its fuller context. Journal Response A compass is a device used to set a bearing that guides direction of travel . When you use a compass to determine your direction it is called “setting your compass.” Our lives are complex, and many things have been involved in setting our direction, including our family, friends, culture, and not the least of which, our Creator! Your habits also influence the direction your life is going. They help set the compass. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” How have your habits made you? What are some habits that you would like to keep? What are some that you’d like to get r id of? What are some new habits you’d like to make? Do you have a habit of reading and studying God’s word? To what degree has God’s word influenced your direction in life so far? ? D ay 1 Notes Day 2 Personal Reflection Has there ever been a time in your life when something bad has happened that you didn’t understand? Have you or anyone else you know faced hardship that didn’t seem fair? We see suffering and tragedy in the news every day , especially recently . If God is loving, com passionate, and just, then why is there so much suffering? Why are people allowed to do terrible things to other people? What would you say to someone who asks you “why does a good God allow bad things to happen”? Biblical Reflection Job was a servant of God, yet Job’s life becomes full of pain. His children are killed, his property is stolen and destroyed, and his own body is racked with disease. Read Job 10:1 – 3. Here we see that Job cries out to God from his hurt and despair. God answers Jo b’s cries (Job 38:1 – 7). What is his response to Job? ? Hearing God’s rebuke and of h is mighty power, Job real izes that God can do all things and that the Lord’s ways are beyond human understanding (Job 42:1 – 3) . Similarly, Isaiah 40:28 and Isaiah 55:8 – 9 p roclaim our C reator’s mystery in the eyes of man and h is superiority over all creation. Reading John 16:33, we see the promise that though this life is painful, we can be hopeful in Christ for he has overcome the world. Journal Response Write about a t ime when you experienced great pain, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Write down your feelings at the time toward yourself, the situation and God. ? Thinking of the questions Job raised to the Lord and the questions you may have in your own he art about your faith, write down a few questions that you have about God and Christianity . Journal your thoug hts in response to them too. Questions like: ? ü Why do bad things happen to good people? ü What is the relationship between God’s sovereign ty and people’s free will? ü Has God determined everything that is going to happen, and if so, do people really have a choice? ü What are your reactions to Job 13:5? How does this verse make you think about this problem? Day 2 Notes Day 3 Personal Reflection Take a moment and think about all the little decisions you made just yesterday, ones that weren’t necessarily morally right or wrong: what to eat, what to wear, etc. What about decisions that were moral decisions? Did you do the right thing? Think of a time in your life that you had to make a difficult decision about something major that wasn’t necessarily right or wrong ( like spending a lot of money, going on a trip, whether or not to take a certa in class or play a sport). What was the situation? Why was the decision difficult? What were the options? How did you make the decision? Do you think God preferred one decision over another? Why or why not? ? Biblical Reflection When it comes to moral deci sions the Bible is clear, God’s will is that we do the right thing. If God commands it, God’s will is obvious. But what about for decisions that God hasn’t given us a specific command? And how do we know if something God command ed in the past applies to us today ? Read Ephesians 1:3 – 14. What do we learn about God’s will from this passage? We learn from verse 11 that God has a plan for everything. What does this passage have to say about God’s plan for everything? ? We can try and understand as much as we can, but the fact of the matter is we just don’t know all of the details of God’s plan. Read what Paul writes in Romans 11:33 – 36. Notice that this passage precedes the well - kn own verses of Romans 12:1 – 2. Journal Response What big decisions are coming up in your future? What to do after high school ? What career to choose? Who to marry (or if you get married) ? Where to live? Whether or not to have kids? What is God’s will for your life? How are you going to make these decisions? How are you going to know if you made the right decisions? Do you think God has a specific will for your life? In other words, do you think you must choose the right college, the right career and the right spouse and all the others are wrong? Why or why not? ? Write down some other questions like the ones below that you have about God’s will and your future. ? ü Does God have a specific will for my life? ü What can I do to discern God’s will? ü What does the term “God’s will” ev en mean ? Day 3 Notes Day 4 Personal Reflection Who are the people you love? Make a heart on in your journal and write their names inside. ? How do they know that you love them? What do yo u do for them? What do yo u do with them? ? What is your love motivated by? Is your love for them in some ways ever self - seeking? How? ? Biblical Reflection 1 Corinthians 13 is commonly read at weddings, and while it can certainly be applied to that kind of love, Paul is writing in the context of spiritual gifts and their use by the church. Read 1 Corinthians 13. Make a list of things in verses 4 – 8 that Paul says love is or is not. Think about the most amazing things that you could do for God or for somebody. Things like surrendering your body to flames ( which refers to the martyrdom that some Christians experienced by being burned at the stake ) or giving all you possess to the poor As amazing as these things are, without love they are not commendable. In Matthew 22:35 – 40 Jesus tells what the greatest commandments are. What are the greatest commandments? ? Journal Response We all want to be of some value during our life and to d o something that makes a difference. But without love even the best of our efforts are worthless. One way to help remind yourself of this is to practice the three L’s: listening, learning and loving. This is a practice you can use for getting to know new people or a new place, but they also work great for reconnecting with and loving those who are already in your life. Make a list of questions you can ask your family or friends over the next several days. For instance, you can ask your siblings what their dream job is or your best friend about their favorite childhood memory Be creative ! ? Use these questions as a way of practicing the three L’s: listening, learning, and loving. Remember, the goal is for you to know your family and friends better and to love them more wholeheartedly. Day 4 Notes Day 5 Personal Reflection What abilities have you been gifted with? Which are most important t o you? Is it musical talent, intellect, great people skills, athleticism? Why do you consider them such great gifts? What are gifts other people see in you? Jot down some of your strongest attributes. Think about the role they play in your day to day life. What role do they play in your walk with God? Biblical Reflection Many people believe and teach that the world is only physical matter, that only material exists; that nature is all there is, and there is no supernatural; that there is no spiritual reality. The Bible clearly teaches otherwise. The Spirit of God is seen in th e Bible’s first and last chapters and everywhere in between — hovering over the waters in Genesis 1:2 and appearing with the Bride in Revelation 22:17. The Spirit is given to believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), and the presence of the Holy Spirit is one of the key teachings in the New Testament. The New Testament also speaks of spiritual gifts . Read Romans 12:1 – 8. List the gifts mentioned in this passage. How are spiritual gifts different than talents and skills? What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? ? Two other passages that speak of spiritual gifts are 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4. Read these if you have time. Journal Response Do you have a sense of any spiritual gifts that you have received? Has anyone ever told you that they think you might have a c ertain spiritual gift? Are there any gifts mentioned in the passages above that you think you might have? Which ones? Journal about what you think your spiritual gifts are or might be. ? Leader ship is also a spiritual gift. Do you think you have the gift of leadership? If so, what are the ways you plan to use it in your future? Journal about ways you could use all your spiritual gifts in the next few days and beyond ? Day 5 Notes DAY 6 Personal Reflection What are some careers that interest you? Do you feel called to a particular vocation? ? Vocation is a word that we don’t use very often. It comes from the Latin word vocation which means “a call or summons.” Think of an ancient monarch calling on a membe r of their kingdom to perform a specific role. Many think that vocation only refers to ‘ministry jobs’ like a pastor or missionary. But God doesn’t call all (or most of us) to these kinds of roles. And yet God does call us to something. What do you feel God has called you to? Do you feel like you have a calling? ? Biblical Reflection Read Acts 13:1 – 3 and 20:24. (FYI: Saul’s name is changed to Paul, and he’s the one giving his farewell speech to the elders of the church at Ephesus in 20:24.) How many leaders are mentioned by name in the church at Antioch? How many of them are called out to be “set apart” for a special work? What are some of the aspects included in being “set apart” back in those days? What things might be included in this today? ? B etween Acts 13 and 20, Paul travels on three missionary journeys (13:4 – 14:28; 15:30 – 18:22; 18:23 – 21:17). In Acts 20:24, he is near the end of his third trip. What is the “task” that has been given him? ? Describe Paul’s own sense of calling. Do you think he knows what God wants him to do with his life? Do you think that he feels like he ’s doing it? ? Journal Response Journal about your sense of vocational direction. How does it make you feel when you think about it? Are you excited about the possib ilities? Are you frustrated because you just don’t know? What direction do you think you are going? What would you like to do? ? One way to think about calling is to consider your interests, abilities and opportunities. Journal at least one paragraph for each of these three categories. Interests – What do you like to do? Abilities – What are you good at? Opportunities – What choices are available for you that others might not have? ? DAY 6 Notes CONTINUE THE JOURNEY... Now that you’ve gotten a small taste of what Compass has to offer, we hope you’ll consider joining us for more! Each summer, Compass hosts students from across the globe that seek to live God’s best story for their lives. We believe that God has a dream for your life and a speci fic role for you to play. And we want to help you find it. Compass provides a month - long experience that includes a service - learning trip to Iceland, theology classes, and backpacking in the Adirondack Mountains. To learn more, text “I’m interested in Compass!” to 978.646.7926 to talk directly with a member of the Compass staff.