Waitlisted Week 2

Activity: Word Search

The Big Idea: While we're waiting, God is faithful

Question: What’s something silly that left you feeling disappointed recently?

Throughout our everyday lives, there’s plenty of things that make us upset. We get mad when people cut us off on the road or when people act dumb and annoy us. We get disappointed if they forgot the ketchup in our food order or if our iced coffee had too much ice this morning. I have trained myself to be bothered by almost nothing but even I still get irritated at work each day. Its a part of being human to have an emotional response to the things that happen throughout the day.

Question: What's an example of a big disappointment someone your age might face?

Question: How do you think a big disappointment or crisis could affect someone's faith in God?

Just because you are young, does not mean that you don’t face big disappointments. Losing loved ones, parents divorcing, heartbreak, struggles do not have an age limit, they affect us all. And sometimes it can cause us to lose faith in God or to doubt his love for us. We question, why would God let this happen? Or does God even exist? It becomes harder to believe when life just doesn’t seem to go your way.

Question: Have you ever experienced any major disappointments or crises? If you're comfortable sharing, what happened?

Acts 16:16–24 ESV

As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Question: When you've experienced a disappointment or crisis, how did you feel? What questions did you ask?

Acts 16:25–40 ESV

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.

Question: When you heard Paul and Silas' story, what stood out to you or surprised you and why?

God told them to go, they went and did God’s will but yet now they are in prison and suffering. Why would God allow them to go through this even though they were just doing what he asked?

Question: If God hadn't rescued Paul and Silas from prison, do you think God could still have been considered faithful to them? Why or why not?

What is hard for Christians to understand is that we serve God, he doesn’t serve us. He isn’t here to make all our prayers come true or make our lives easy. Sometimes serving God isn’t gonna be easy, we may lose friends, we may be excluded or persecuted for our faith. In some countries people are still getting imprisoned like Paul and Silas, simply because they have church and worship God. Serving God does not mean that its all butterflies and gumdrops. But that’s a part of waiting on God because in His time, it’ll all make sense. Every struggle, every trial, every disappointment, is all for a greater cause that only God knows.

Question: Are you, or someone you know, waiting for God's help right now? Tell us about it.

Question: Read Psalm 46:1-5. Then read it again, slowly.

Psalm 46:1–5 NIV

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Do you think God is trying to say anything to you through this passage today? If so, what is it?

Having a relationship with God doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble, but it does mean that he will be there in the middle of it. God will never leave us or forsake us. When we go through trials and tribulations in our life, find comfort knowing that God is there. He will come to the rescue, you just have to wait.

Psalm 9:1–2 ESV

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:9–11 ESV

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you. Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!

This week, which of these steps will you take, and how?

Trust that God is with you.

Pray while you wait.

Worship while you wait.

Remember God's faithfulness