Liz Miserable
Liz is having a very bad, horrible week when he loses Grandpa’s antique coin, fails a surprise test, and gets a cold.
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Being positive when things are negative
1. In 2 Corinthians 4:17, our troubles are called “light and momentary.” Sometimes we have really bad things happen to us. Why do you think the apostle Paul calls those troubles “light and momentary”?
2. In Acts 16:22-25, Paul and Silas were attacked by some angry men. They were arrested and dragged before the rulers of the city. Before long, a large crowd gathered and tore the clothes off the two men, then beat them until they were bruised and bleeding. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, into a dark inner cell, with their feet fastened into stocks so they couldn’t move. A guard watched them closely to make sure they couldn’t escape. The two men were sore and probably very cold and uncomfortable. They didn’t know what would happen to them in the morning. But instead of being sad or angry, they prayed and sang hymns to praise God. They were having a miserable day, but they trusted God and kept thinking about and worshiping him. As you listen to this episode, think about how small our troubles are when compared to living forever in heaven with Jesus Christ.
After you listen
Memory Verse
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”
Quiz
A: “Finders keepers, losers weepers.”
Reflect
In this episode, Liz learned that even when life is miserable, it’s important to pray and think about all that God is planning for Christians in heaven.
Have you ever had a tooth that hurt so much that you had to go to the dentist? While the dentist was working on the tooth, it might have hurt even more! But after the dentist fixed things, the pain went away and never came back. While you were in the dentist’s chair, you probably didn’t want to be there. You might have thought the pain wasn’t worth it. But looking back, you’re glad you went and fixed the problem.
Life can sometimes be like that visit to the dentist. Things go wrong. Maybe you even get teased or bullied because people know you believe in Jesus Christ. But God has prepared a perfect heaven for you to live in forever. The problems you have now will seem like nothing when you’re in a perfect place for eternity.
Want to dig deeper and learn more about how to face bad days? Read Romans 8:18, Philippians 4:11-13, and 1 Peter 1:6-7.
Challenge
Get a piece of paper and some crayons or colored pencils. Draw a picture of an old-fashioned balance scale (you can find out what one looks like on the Internet). Make one of the sides hang a lot lower than the other. On the higher side, write down a problem that you’re dealing with this week. On the lower side, write today’s memory verse (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hang the picture on your wall or mirror to remind you that your problems are far outweighed by the great things God has waiting for you in heaven.
