Frustration part 1

I can frustrate someone I disciple when...

1. I Disciple them as “Mine” and not “God’s”

1 Peter 5:2, “Shepherd the flock of God…”

Those that we disciple belong to God. It is easy over time to lose sight of this and slowly begin to view them as “ours” or “mine”. I have several guys that I am discipling right now but in reality they are much more than “my guys”, they are heirs, children, beloved in the Kingdom. I am just given the honor to walk with them during this season to help them make disciples of Jesus.
When the perspective of “mine” begins to dominate the way we view those we are discipling then we are taking steps towards manipulation and stunting their growth in Christ.

Key: This frustrates those we disciple because it limits their potential. Those we disciple should have the vision of their life shaped by Jesus and His potential for them. When I disciple as “mine” I limit their potential to “us”.
Here are a couple of practical things that have helped me in this.

1. Disciple through the context of community. This makes disciple making a group or “family” effort, allowing everyone to have multiple trusted influences.

2. Regularly pray for humility as a disciple. It is easy for my pride and opinion of self to get so high that I think I am all that the person needs. (Rom. 12:3, Phil 2:3-5)

3. When the person I am discipling is walking through something that I do not know much about or can’t adequately relate to I try to point them towards someone who is more equipped for that situation.