“It would be easy for kids to draw the wrong conclusion about their complaints by thinking that God is like other authority figures they have in their lives. Sometimes It is not safe to speak honestly to a human authority figure—especially if you want to accuse that authority figure of neglecting their promises. But God invites it,” says Leadership Development Professor Scott Cormode.”
Conversation starter
Ask children: God wants to hear your complaints and concerns over what doesn’t seem right in the world. How would you finish these sentences: God, please fix___. God, I want to learn how to praise you even when___.
Meditation: My God…why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night you hear my voice, but I find no relief….O Lord, do not stay far away from me. You are my strength, come quickly to my aid. Psalm 22
Main point: A middle school student said, “It’s hard to see how my love and anger for God can go together. I thought that if I didn’t talk about my anger when I prayed, then God won’t know that I was angry. I guess I believed that I could hide my thoughts from God. I now see that God invites me to be honest because God already knows what’s in my heart, and trusting someone even in anger makes a deeper relationship.” (*Scott Cormode)