Do you actually know the man God designed you to be?
In Week 3 of Seven Questions that Rattle in the Minds of Most Men, John Woodall tackles the question “Who Am I?” and explores how the wounds, experiences, expectations, and comparisons of our past can cause us to lose sight of who we were created to be. The message is simple: discovery leads to recovery.
Using the word D.E.S.I.G.N. as a framework, John walks through six areas that can help men better understand themselves: Drives, Experiences, Spiritual gifts, Impact, Genius, and Nature.
The goal isn’t to become somebody else. It’s to discover who God made you to be – and learn to walk in that unique design with greater freedom and purpose.
Discussion Questions
- What is a one concept, insight or application you’ll take away from this session?
- How would you answer the question, “Who am I?” What are the first things that come to mind—your job, roles, relationships, accomplishments, personality, faith, something else?
- Discuss the phrase, “Discovery leads to recovery.” What do you think John means by that? What might a man need to recover by discovering who God made him to be?
- Which of the six D.E.S.I.G.N. categories—Drives, Experiences, Spiritual, Impact, Genius, or Nature—gave you the most insight into yourself? Why? Which category is hardest for you to answer? What might that tell you?
- What is one thing about yourself that you’ve spent years trying to change, suppress, or wish were different that you might instead need to understand and steward differently?
- Psalm 139 says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” What would actually change in your life if you genuinely believed that?
D.E.S.I.G.N. Reflection Questions
- DRIVE: What is one thing that you “just can’t stands”? What kinds of injustice, problems, or situations tend to stir something deep inside you? How might these be indicators of what drives you?
- EXPERIENCES: The messy parts of our lives can contribute to our life message. Looking back at your own story, is there an experience—good or bad—that has shaped who you are and what you care about today? How can our wounds distort our understanding of who we are? How might God redeem those same experiences? How can you address them without either pretending the pain didn’t happen, or being so affected you can’t move forward?
- SPIRITUAL: Spiritual gifts as something God gives uniquely to believers (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4.) What spiritual gifts do you think God has given you? What evidence do you see? When do you most naturally feel connected to God? What practices or “spiritual pathways” (i.e., being in nature, prayer, serving others, etc.) help you engage with Him most deeply?
- IMPACT: If time, money, and education were not an issue, what do you think you would do? Who or what has God given you a particular burden to influence?
- GENIUS: What do you do repeatedly, successfully, and happily? What comes naturally to you that other people consistently recognize in you? Are there things you have pursued because they look successful from the outside, even though they don’t actually fit how God has wired you? Where might you be chasing someone else’s definition of success?
- NATURE: How can understanding our personality help us embrace the way God made us rather than use it as an excuse for unhealthy behavior? How would you describe your personality? What aspects of your personality have been strengths? What aspects have sometimes created challenges?
After spending time considering the questions above, how would you finish the following sentences?
- One thing I’m beginning to realize about the way God made me is __________.
- One adjustment I need to make to lean in to who God made me is __________.
- One man I can talk to about these things is _________.