The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis
Week 9: "A Slip of the Tongue"
Read Essay 9: "A Slip of the Tongue" in The Weight of Glory. Key Scripture: Matthew 6:33; Luke 9:23; Hebrews 12:1-2.
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In the final and most personally confessional essay in the collection, Lewis turns his unflinching gaze on himself — on the temptation not to reject God, but to keep God as a peripheral insurance policy while living for "our own" life. It is a fitting and humbling close to the collection.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Lewis confesses to a "slip of the tongue" in prayer — he found himself asking for safety and comfort instead of God himself. What is the spiritual danger he identifies in this small slip? Why does he take it so seriously?
2.Lewis describes the temptation to want "not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in Heaven" — a divine presence that asks little and approves of everything. Where do you see this temptation in your own spiritual life or in the broader culture?
3.Lewis argues that the real danger for most serious Christians is not gross immorality but a more subtle reservation — keeping a portion of life as our own, safe from God's claim on it. What does this look like in practice?
a.Is there an area of your life where you are offering God the surface while keeping the center for yourself?
b.Lewis suggests this reservation feels like prudence or safety, not rebellion. Does that feel true in your experience?
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