How It Starts

KEY VERSES:

• Luke 15:11–16
• 1 Samuel 16:7
• Romans 5:8
• 2 Peter 3:9

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Setup: Jesus continues speaking to religious critics by telling the parable of a father and two sons.
• It Starts Small: The son’s decision to leave didn’t come from nowhere—it started with internal struggles:
  • Dissatisfaction – “What if there’s more?”
  • Comparison – “I’ll never be good enough like my brother.”
  • Romanticizing – “Life looks better out there.”
  • Resentment – “I’m tired of being overlooked.”
  • Private Fantasies – “Maybe there’s something better if I leave…”
• The Ask: “Give me my share…” was less a request and more a rejection—"You’re dead to me."
• The Response: The father gives him his inheritance—dividing his life (Greek: bios)—a costly act of love.
• The Drift: The son travels far, squanders everything, and ends up hungry, empty, and feeding pigs.
• The Famine: Circumstances reveal what’s been broken inside—not just around us.
• The Challenge: What are your circumstances trying to show you? What subtle cracks have you been ignoring?
• The Hope: God's love is sacrificial, patient, and unrelenting—even when we run.

TALK ABOUT IT:

• What “small cracks” have I allowed to grow in my heart lately?
• In what ways have I been comparing my life or faith journey to someone else's?
• Have I been romanticizing life outside of God's plan for me?
• What fantasies or secret thoughts have been taking up too much space in my mind?
• What are my current circumstances trying to teach me about my spiritual health?
• How do I respond to the truth that God’s love is sacrificial and unrelenting?
• Am I running from God in any area of my life right now?

APPLY IT:

• Examine what’s growing in your heart—things like dissatisfaction, envy, or unresolved frustration.
• Be honest about what you’ve been comparing yourself to—and how it’s affecting your identity.
• Name the fantasies or thoughts you’ve been entertaining in private that are leading you off course.
• Pause and ask: What are your current struggles trying to reveal about your spiritual condition?
• Choose to stop running from God and return to Him—He’s already waiting with love, not judgment.
• Reflect on how God has pursued you in past seasons—let gratitude shape your week.