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Bible Study

Artist: Wande
Song: Happy
Album: Exit
Featured In: MVL 108

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Wande

Leader Guide

Artist: Wande
Album: Exit
Label: Reach Records
Song: Happy
From: MVL 108
Writer: Ken McCoy | JumpStart Ministries | Charlotte, North Carolina

Theme(s): Joy Difficulties: Comfort in Faith: Within Trials

Objective
Your group will discuss how a change of their perspective can lead to joy.

Warm Up

Honey, If You Love Me, Please Smile – Everyone sits in a circle. One person is “It.” He or she approaches someone and says, “Honey, if you love me, please smile.” The targeted person must say, “Honey, I love you, but I just can’t smile” three times. “It” can make faces and noises, but cannot touch or tickle the targeted person. If the targeted person smiles or laughs before he or she says the response the third time, then that person is “It.” If the targeted person does not smile or laugh, then “It” must find another person to target. Play until most people have been “It.”

Transition

Say, “Sometimes, keeping a straight face is difficult, like when you get the giggles during church. But, there are times when smiling is difficult. Sometimes, life is hard and filled with pain, and a smile is the furthest thing from our minds. Let’s watch a music video – by new hip-hop singer Wande – of a song called, ‘Happy’.’”

The Video

Hand out the Student Guides. Encourage the students to pay attention to lyrics as they watch. Play the video. (Here’s what Wande said about the visuals: For over a year, I’ve had the vision of a music video involving the sand. One of my close friends choreographed the video. She was able to make my vision come to life! I was able to communicate to her my wish list–natural movements, “flowy” with praise and worship-like dance movements, and lots of sand. I wanted our garments to be simple, natural, and reflect our inner beauty of what God created us to be. We filmed the video at a “top secret location” – a natural sand deposit in Georgia.)

Transition

Talk over these lyrics:

I just wanna feel elevated, yeah • Wake up in the morning, say goodbye to mourning • Wanna feel that levitation, yeah – Do you see the reference to Psalm 30:5? (Have a volunteer look up and read the verse.)
The way we feeling so deceiving, you ain’t even know • Follow your heart, you might make the wrong choice – Wande speaks on the reality of the deception of feelings and how relying solely on them can cause many downfalls – a reference to Jeremiah 17:9.

Bible Study

Let’s look at a passage in James that I think will help us understand Wande’s perspective. (Read James 1:2-4.) James tells us that when—notice, “when” not “if”—troubles come our way, we are supposed to consider it an opportunity for great joy – or smile. How in the world are we supposed to smile when a family member dies, or we get dumped, or we fail that midterm? (Allow the students to talk or even debate this.)

Talk about how “consider it an opportunity for great joy” or “smile every day” are more about a perspective or state of mind than wearing a fake smile. Continue to unpack this a little more for them by rereading James 1:3-4. Discuss:

What does he say is the reason we can consider difficulties as an opportunity for joy? (For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.)
So how is your endurance? Is it growing? Are you growing?

Wrap Up

Think about this fantastic opportunity that God is giving you to grow your endurance and your faith. When you have a bad day, God’s not “dumping on” you, He’s “loving on” you. He’s not mad at you; He wants to see you grow. This week, when something goes wrong—and I guarantee something will go wrong—don’t punch a hole in a wall, go on a rant, throw a temper tantrum. Instead, pause and change your perspective. Know that God is using this to make you grow, to draw you closer to Him.

Playlist

This song is featured on “The Linc: Joy” Spotify playlist – which is the perfect way to remind your students what you’ve taught them in this session. To share it with them, click the live link.