Leader Guide

Objective
Students will learn that despite the difficulties life may present, God is faithful in all things.

Warm Up
Set up a trust fall challenge. Have students divide into two lines facing each other. Place a chair between the end of the lines. Have each student stand on the chair, their back to the rest of the group. Have each student take turns falling backward into the arms of the group. To make it more challenging, have each student close their eyes as they fall back.

Transition

• Is it easy to trust your friends? Why or why not?
• Is it easier to trust God? Why or why not?

Trusting God isn’t always an easy thing. We, very seldom, seem to have the physical reassurance that God is present, is working through the situations that are wreaking havoc in our lives.

The Song
In their new song, “Come What May”, We Are Messengers tackles this very issue.

Play the song.

Transition
Life seems to run wild, doesn’t it? Things go wrong and it feels like we’re left to fend for ourselves. Scripture tells us a different story, though. Let’s take a look at some of what the Bible tells us about how God works in our lives.

Bible Study
Read Psalm 23
David wrote this Psalm, like many of them, as a reminder of Who God is. David had been chosen by God to be the next king of Israel. But Saul, the current king, wasn’t exactly thrilled with this.

Saul was an angry man, a jealous man. He put a lot of effort into trying to kill David– chasing David into the wilderness where he had to hide in caves to escape the king.

• What is the primary job of a shepherd?
• Is it easy to see God as a similar figure in your life? Why/why not?
• How does that make you feel?
• Have you ever been in the middle of something hard?
• Was it easy to trust in God in that moment? Why or why not?
• What are some ways you can actively remind yourself of God’s presence in the hard times?

Read Proverbs 3:5-6

• What does it look like for you to trust in the Lord with all your heart?
• Has there ever been a time when you depended on your own understanding rather than trusting in God? What happened?
• How can you actively seek God’s will in your life?

Read Romans 15:13

• How is God the source of hope?
• What does it mean to you to hope in Christ?

Wrap Up
Let’s face it, life is hard! Just when we think we have a reprieve from the bad stuff, something else comes along and threatens to knock us flat. Maybe you’re struggling in school to keep your grades where they should be. Maybe you feel isolated from your friends. Maybe life at home isn’t easy.

It can seem rather like a Christian cliché to say, “Put your hope in God.” I know it’s not an easy thing to do sometimes. Maybe a family member is sick and you’re struggling to see God through the darkness.

Have faith and hold tightly to the truth that God loves you! Because you WILL make it through the tough times and you don’t have to do it alone. God is walking with you every step of the way– even when you can’t sense His presence.

Hold fast! As you continue to face hard times, pretty soon you’ll be able to look at life… at the challenges that threaten to chase you down and you’ll simply be able to say, “Come what may!”

Playlist
This song is featured on “The Linc: Perseverance; Endurance” 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 on the web version of this study.