Week 4- Clothed in Gratitude

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

   5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual  immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices  10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

   12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

   15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Colossians 3:5-16

What does this passage have to say about gratitude?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

Last week you were presented with the challenge to set your mind on “things above,” rather than earthly things.

1) What “earthly things” are identified in verses 5 and 8?  Why does Paul, in verse 9, call these things a “lie” (v. 9-10)?  If you have professed faith in Christ and are living this way, will your life be comfortable?  Can you expect things to go well for you (v. 9)?

2) Review the list of “earthly things” (v. 5 and 8).  Which of these are a part of your habits?  (You don’t necessarily need to answer this aloud in practice, but you do desperately need to confess these things to God and turn repentantly from them.)  Read through them again, and consider which of them have crept into your life as an athlete.

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) What “things above” are identified in verses 12-14?  What should motivate you to live a life marked by these things (v. 13)?  Again, we are back to    gratitude.  A commitment to setting your heart and  mind on “things above” is, by definition, a life of gratitude.  A heart “overflowing with thanksgiving” can have no other   response to God’s mercy.

4) Is it enough to think and talk about these “things above,” or is there a greater call on your life?  What does the command to “clothe yourself” (v. 12) with these things mean?  What does a compassionate daughter do?  A kind son?  A humble student?  A gentle teammate?  A patient brother?  A forgiving sister?  A loving friend?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) Still the question remains, “How do you train your heart and mind to stay  focused on the ‘things above,’ rather than the ‘earthly things?’”  If you are determined to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (v. 16), what  must you do?  Are you spending time regularly in God’s word?  Does your team do so together?

6) What will a life filled with these “things above” produce (v. 15)?  How does this contrast with a life consumed by “earthly things” (essentially “living a lie,” as you learned earlier)?  Is this peace promised just to you, or does its impact reach    further (v. 15)?  And...what does this peace produce in you (v. 150?  So, you see, gratitude deeply pervades the life of a person who is dwelling in a genuine relationship with Christ.

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of gratitude, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about gratitude this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about gratitude you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about gratitude this week...What does a grateful athlete do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of a grateful athlete, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “grateful athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of gratitude — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding gratitude or anything else), and pray together.