Emily Ley - Grace, Not Perfection Bible Study Guide: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy

THE GRACE, NOT PERFECTION video study is designed to be experienced in a group setting such as a Bible study, Sunday school class, or any small group gathering. Each session begins with a brief opening reflection and two short talk about it questions to get you and your group thinking about the topic. You will then watch a video with Emily Ley and jump into some directed small-group discussion. You will close each session with a time of prayer as a group.

You and your fellow group members should have your own study guides, which include video teaching notes, Bible study and group discussion questions, and between-sessions personal studies that will help you reflect on the material and apply it in practical ways during the week. You are also encouraged to have a copy of the Grace, Not Perfection book, as reading the book alongside the curriculum will provide deeper insights and make the journey more meaningful. See the recommended reading section at the end of each session for the chapters in the book that correspond to material you and your group are discussing.

To get the most out of your group experience, keep the following points in mind. First, the real growth in this study will happen during your small-group time. This is where you will process the content of Emilys message, ask questions, and learn from others as you hear what God is doing in their lives. For this reason, it is important for you to be fully committed to the group and attend each session so you can build trust and rapport with the other members. If you choose to only go through the motions, or if you refrain from participating, there is a lesser chance you will find what youre looking for during this study.

Second, remember that the goal of your small group is to serve as a place where people can share their struggles with perfectionism (or other challenges they are facing), learn about God, and build intimacy and friendship. For this reason, always seek to make your group a safe place for people. This means being honest about your thoughts and feelings and listening carefully to everyone elses opinion. (If you are a group leader, there are additional instructions and resources in the back of the book for leading a productive discussion group.)

Third, resist the temptation to fix a problem that anyone in the group might be having or to correct another persons theology, as thats not the purpose of your small-group time. Remember Pauls words in Ephesians 2:89: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast. Extend grace to those in your group, and keep everything the members share confidential. This will foster a rewarding sense of community in your group and create a place where people can heal, be challenged, and grow spiritually.

Following your group time, maximize the impact of the course with the additional between-session studies. This section includes not only personal Bible studies for five days of the upcoming week but also practical tips and tools that you can use to simplify your life and get more organized (without the pressure of feeling you have to be perfect!). For each day, you may wish to complete the study and exercises in one sitting or spread it out over the course of the day. Note that if you are unable to finishor even startyour between-sessions personal studies, still attend the group study video session. You are still wanted and welcome at the group even if you dont have your homework done. Its all about grace!

Keep in mind this study is an opportunity for you to learn new patterns of thinking and implement new behaviors that will affect the way you see yourself and your journey with God. The video sessions, discussion questions, and activities are simply meant to kick-start your imagination so you are not only open to what God wants you to hear but also know how to apply it to your life. As you go through this study, be listening for what God is speaking to you as it relates to letting go of striving for the perfect life, surrendering complete control to God, building authentic community with others, and just living in Gods grace.

It is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast. For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

EPHESIANS 2:8

OPENING REFLECTION

Have you ever felt trapped by your own desire to live the perfect life? If so, youre not alone. Thats actually why were here togetherto free ourselves from the trap of living the perfect life and to embrace the freedom and gift of grace.

In other words, to live a life of grace, not perfection.

But this path toward Gods grace and away from our own ideas of perfection isnt easy. In most cases, it has been engrained in our lives from an early age. Somewhere along the way, someone told us we were not good enough. Or people began to set the standard for us... and set that standard