Series Overview
With every season comes new and different challenges but also the chance to experience incredible joy. Through sunshine or rain, storms, and blue skies, seasons and weather are important to growth, but not just for flowers and trees. How we respond to each season of life helps us grow in maturity and can spur us to a deeper faith in God. This is especially true when it comes to our emotions. Just as seasons come and go, so do our emotions. And how we choose to handle those emotions can shape us and teach us a lot about how God cares for us. No matter what emotion we may be feeling or what we may face, because of Jesus, we can learn to trust that God knows how we feel. Jesus showed us how to face life with resilience, and because of it, we can trust God no matter what.
Memory Verse
“Be strong, all you who put your hope in the LORD. Never give up.” – Psalm 31:24, NIRV
Week One (January 5)
Jesus Wept
Bible Story: John 11:1-45
Bottom Line: When you’re sad, remember you’re not alone
Virtue: Resilience – Getting back up when something gets you down
We start the month in John 11:1-45 with a peek into Jesus’ personal life. After the death of one of His friends, Jesus wept — even though He knew what would happen next. Jesus trusted that God would be with Him in His sadness and wept anyway, showing us He is there with us in our sadness too.
There will be times in our lives when we will experience grief and hardships because that’s just the nature of life. However, when troubles come, we can remember that because Jesus experienced the things we experience, He knows how we feel and is with us as we work through our emotions.
Week Two (January 12)
Do Not Worry
Bible Story: Matthew 6:25-34
Bottom Line: When you’re worried, trust God.
Virtue: Resilience – Getting back up when something gets you down
In Week 2, we head to Matthew 6:25-34 for Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus reminded everyone not to worry about tomorrow because “Tomorrow will worry about itself.” Every day will have its own set of troubles, but God will provide for us, just like the birds and the flowers.
Have you ever seen a flower bloom or a bird find food? Just like God cares for nature, and the birds and flowers have what they need in life, God cares for us so much more! When we let worry consume our thoughts, it can cause us to forget to notice the ways God is already working in our situations. We can trust God with anything, whether we know the outcome or not.
Week Three (January 19)
Slow To Anger
Bible Story: John 11:1-45
Bottom Line: When you’re angry, talk to God
Virtue: Resilience – Getting back up when something gets you down
In Week 3, we turn to James 1:19 where James writes about how we should respond when situations begin to get a little out of hand. When we’re quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry, we allow ourselves to respond well so we don’t sin in our anger.
Have you ever gotten so angry that you said the first thing that came to your mind and instantly regretted it? Anger doesn’t have to get the best of us. When we’re angry we need to be cautious of how we respond and go to God with our feelings.
Week Four (January 26)
Paul + Silas
Bible Story: Acts 16:16-40
Bottom Line: God can help you choose joy.
Virtue: Resilience – Getting back up when something gets you down
We close out the month in Acts 16:16-40. While Paul and Silas were preaching the message of Jesus, they were arrested and thrown into prison! All seemed hopeless, but instead of complaining and giving up, they sang songs and worshipped God.
Life can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster. There are ups and downs, highs and lows. But even in the midst of a difficult situation, we can have hope and trust that we are not alone. God can give us the strength we need to choose joy — even when it’s hard.