Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about the mysterious tension between the doctrine of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. They discuss what implications God’s sovereignty has for our prayer lives and why it shouldn’t cool our passion for evangelism. Although it may be hard to understand how God could be sovereign when we are suffering, what is initially a troubling doctrine can become our deepest comfort.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• None Like Him by Jen Wilkin
• In His Image by Jen Wilkin
• Chosen by God by R. C. Sproul
• Count It All Joy by Helen Roseveare
• Knowing God by J. I. Packer
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer
• Piercing Heaven: The Prayers of the Puritans

RELATED RESOURCES

• The Unlikely Friendship between God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Responsibility
• Why God’s Election Is Good News
• How Romans 8 Made Me a Calvinist
• 3 Objections to the Doctrine of Election

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Have you ever experienced an interruption or inconvenience that turned into a “divine appointment?” How did God use that situation?
• How has learning about God’s sovereignty challenged or comforted you personally?
• How does remembering God’s sovereignty affect your prayer life? 
• In what ways have you struggled to hold the truths of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility in tension? What questions has this tension raised for you?
• How have seasons of suffering or hardship grown your trust in God and helped you experience his presence in distinct ways?
• In what current situation do you most need to “lay your head on the pillow of God’s sovereignty”? How can your discussion partner(s) pray for you?

Courtney and Melissa talk with Nancy Guthrie about their prayer lives. They talk about why it makes sense to pray, even when we believe God has already determined what is going to happen, and why it makes sense to let God’s Word shape our prayers. Listen to this deep and honest conversation if you want to leave more eager to pray!

Mentioned in This Episode:

• I'm Praying for You: 40 Days of Praying the Bible for Someone Who is Suffering
• Praying Through the Bible for Your Kids
• What Every Child Should Know About Prayer
• Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans

Related Resources:

• Praying Past Your Preferred Outcomes
• Let’s Talk: Why We Pray
• Discovering How to Pray: Prayer in the Psalms

Discussion Questions:

• How would you describe your prayer life in your current season? What keeps you from prayer?
• What daily needs are you most likely to pray for? Which do you tend to overlook?
• When has God answered a prayer for you in a unique way? Or how has he helped you persevere in prayer as you wait on his timing?
• How has God used prayer to align your heart and desires with his own?
• How often do you incorporate confession into your prayers? How has God blessed this practice? Or what do you think prevents you from engaging with God in this way?
• How have you been inspired to pray for others in new ways based on what you heard?
• What change would you like to make in your prayer life as a result of what you’ve heard and discussed together?

Courtney Doctor, Melissa Kruger, Vanessa Hawkins, and Jen Wilkin share their experiences of mentoring and being mentored. They discuss the biblical impetus for life-on-life discipleship and how to overcome the intimidation factor when someone asks you to mentor her. They give practical advice on how to make a mentoring relationship work in real life.

Recommended Resources:

• Growing Together by Melissa Kruger
• The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer

Related Content:

• Let’s Talk: Finding a Mentor and Being a Mentor
• 3 Reasons You Can Say ‘Yes’ to Mentoring
• When Mentoring Gets Messy
• Mothering in the Internet Age

Discussion Questions:

1. What has mentoring or discipleship looked like in your life to this point? Who is one person that has played a significant role in helping your faith grow?

2. In what ways have you experienced other believers “bearing witness” to God’s faithfulness? How did this encourage you?

3. Who has powerfully spoken into your life and “loaned courage” to increase your confidence to serve God?

4. Do you tend to prioritize time alone with God or time in community? Why is it necessary to pursue both, and how might you need to adjust your focus?

5. What are the primary ways you’re being mentored and discipled right now? Who is mentoring you “from a distance?” and who is walking alongside you, allowing you to see the messiness of her own faith as she pursues God imperfectly?

6. What next step do you want to take to pursue mentoring or discipleship, and how can others pray for you?

Courtney Doctor and Melissa Kruger introduce The Gospel Coalition’s new podcast for women. They talk about why women need to have deep conversations and what might stand in the way. Listen to find out about the guests and topics this first season will cover, and join them for deep conversations about deep truth!

The Deep Dish is a new podcast from TGC hosted by Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor that invites women into deep conversations about the deep truths of God. These discussions (which are always better served up with a slice of deep-dish pizza!) will equip women to engage in richer discipleship relationships in their local contexts. Tune in for warm conversations among friends—including special guests along the way—to dig deeper into God’s Word and explore how it applies to every area of our lives.