Eldredge John - Desire: the journey we must take to find the life God offers: study guide

DESIRE STUDY GUIDE

2007 by John Eldredge

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Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Additional Scripture quotations are taken from the following sources:

(NLT) New Living Translation, Holy Bible. New Living Translation 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

(The Message) Scripture taken from The Message. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Desire Study Guide
ISBN: 1-4185-2857-9
ISBN-13: 978-1-4185-2857-7

Printed in the United States of America

07 08 09 10 11 RRD 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

OUR HEARTS
DEEPEST SECRET

It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing whilewe are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautifuland good, and we must hunger for them.

George Eliot

As you set out on the first leg of your journey, it might be good to rememberwhat it was like to begin the first day of exercise, or a new job, or the nextgrade level at school in the fall. It felt a little awkward at first, didnt it? Ittook time to find your stride. This guidebook will probably feel the sameway. Rememberour desires often seem a secret that may surface at timesand then hide again in the deeper places of our heart. Recalling these definingdesires cannot be rushed, or for that matter, orchestrated. It takes time,reflection, and allowing your heart to be moved as you sort through things.

SETTING FORTH

What is the secret set within each of our hearts? (pp. 12)

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Your existence has a deep meaning. Yet for most of us, it remains hidden, shrouded, buried beneath all the other pressures and demands and busyness of life. But it doesnt go away. Your life has a secret, something written deep in your heart.

What does John mean, Life comes to us all as a mystery? (p. 2)

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Isnt there a life you have been searching for all your days? You may not always be aware of your search, and there are times when you seem to have abandoned looking altogether. But again and again it returns to us, this yearning that cries out for the life we prize... You see, even while we are doing other things, getting on with life, we still have an eye out for the life we secretly want. When someone seems to have gotten it together we wonder, how did he do it? Maybe if we read the same book, spent time with him, went to his church, things would come together for us as well. You see, we can never entirely give up our quest. (pp. 1, 11)

Is there anything about someone elses life that really looks good to you right now?

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WHISPERS OF JOY

The clue as to who we really are and why we are here comes to us through our heartsdesire. But it comes in surprising ways, and so often goes unnoticed, or misunderstood.

Unearthing our desire isnt a quick and easy thing. So start with just a good moment from the last few weekssomething that may seem rather simple, but it made you glad.

What happened? Why was it a good moment?

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How have other hints come to you? What are the movies and music, the people, events,and places that have really stirred your heart over the past few years? Just name them here.

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ECHOES FROM THE PAST

What are the two extremes which people tend to go to handle the past? Which do youtend toward? Why?

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SHOUTS OF LAMENT

Now for the more difficult side of desire. Its hard for most of us to talk about our losses. But the secret of our hearts is also coming to us even in our greatest losses.

What has been one of your greatest losses or disappointments? Whom or what did youlose, and what did the loss mean to you?

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Simone Weil says there are only two things that pierce the human heart...

What are they?

Moments we wish would last forever and moments we wish had never begun.

What are we to make of these messengers? How are we to interpret what they aresaying? (p. 8)

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THE SAME OLD THING

What does John consider the unthinkable symptom of losing Paradise? (p. 9)

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How has life turned out differently from the way you thought it would?

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Now, what if I told you that life as you now experience it will go on forever just as it is, without improvement of any kind? Your health will stay as it is; your finances will remain as they are, your relationships, your work, all of it. (p. 10)

React to that with as much honesty as you can muster.