Series Overview
Waiting is a part of life. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait on our own. Through the Holy Spirit, God can help us experience the patience we need to wait well. After all, God is patient with us. God is in control and knows what’s best for us. Even though God’s people had been waiting for years for the promised Savior, at just the right time, God sent Jesus. Because we’re created in God’s image, we can reflect God’s patience in our lives. We can be patient when we remember what God has done. We can lean on God’s Holy Spirit to give us the strength we need to trust God and show patience with the difficult circumstances in our lives.
Memory Verse
“Wait for the Lord. Be strong and don’t lost hope. Wait for the Lord.” – Psalm 27:14, NIRV
Week One (April 7)
The Waiting
Bible Story: A Patience Proverb | Proverbs 14:29
Key Question: When is it hard to have patience?
Virtue: Patience – Waiting until later for what you want now
We kickoff the month with a patience proverb found in Proverbs 14:29: “Anyone who is patient has great understanding. But anyone who gets angry quickly shows how foolish they are.” When it comes to waiting, we have a choice. We can either lose our patience and get upset, or we can choose to keep our cool and think about what we can learn through our waiting. We can trust that God will help us wait well.
As we start our month talking about patience, we help preteens think about the times when it’s most difficult for them to wait. When we’re able to anticipate the moments when patience might be tricky, we can prepare and be ready to wait. We pray that kids will learn to trust God with the situations where they have to wait.
Week Two (April 14)
Can’t Hardly Wait
Bible Story: Esau’s Impatience | Genesis 25:24-34
Key Question: What could you miss out on by not waiting?
Virtue: Patience – Waiting until later for what you want now
For Week Two, we turn to Genesis 25:24-34, where we find one of the best examples of what happens when someone is not patient—the story of Esau. After a hunting trip, Esau was exhausted and hungry! And wouldn’t you know, his brother Jacob had a pot of stew cooking on the fire. Jacob took advantage of this situation and offered a bowl in exchange for Esau’s inheritance. Turns out, Esau couldn’t resist. He lost something extremely valuable, all because he was impatient.
We will face times when we have a choice between what’s good and what’s best. We might rush to take the good because we don’t want to keep waiting for what’s best. Yet it’s in those moments when we might miss out on something really great. We pray that kids will learn how to wait with the future in mind. God has something amazing planned for them if they learn to have patience.
Week Three (April 21)
I Keep Forgettin’
Bible Story: Golden Calf | Exodus 32:1-35
Key Question: What can you think about when it’s hard to wait?
Virtue: Patience – Waiting until later for what you want now
For Week Three, we head to Exodus 32:1-35. Moses met with God on Mount Sinai. He left his brother Aaron and the rest of the Israelites to wait. Rather than waiting patiently for Moses to return, the entire nation of Israel rebelled. They built a golden calf and began to worship it instead of worshipping God. If only they had remembered how God rescued them from Egypt and trusted God while they waited!
Having a strategy when it comes to waiting is a great way to have patience. We pray that as kids discover more about trusting God with patience, they’ll consider all of the truth of Scripture and think about the ways God has helped people throughout history. We pray that this will give them hope as they trust that God will help them in the future. Waiting might be hard, but God’s Holy Spirit can help us wait well.
Week Four (April 28)
I’m With You
Bible Story: Simon Waits for the Messiah | Luke 2:25-25
Key Question: What are you waiting for right now?
Virtue: Patience – Waiting until later for what you want now
We finish the month with a story found in Luke 2:25-35. God’s people had been waiting for hundreds of years for the Savior. God promised Simeon that he’d get to see the Messiah before he died. We believe that Simeon waited a long time. But finally, when Mary and Joseph came to the temple with Baby Jesus, Simeon finally saw what he’d been waiting for.
As we finish our month talking about patience, we want to help preteens consider the current areas of life where they need patience. When we’re able to anticipate the moments when patience might be tricky, we can prepare and be ready to wait. We pray that kids will learn to trust God with each situation where they have to wait.