Scripture:
James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Prayer:
Adult
Dear God,
I don’t want to be doubting Thomas, but not sure what to believe these days. I wish you could give me a miracle or a sign to show me you are real. With all the bad things going on around me or within this world – it is difficult to believe. Why does bad things always happen to good people? God, you never promised life would be easy, but why does it have to be so hard? Sometimes I feel cursed or like bad things follow me around. My mind logically tells me it’s the right thing for me to believe in you, but can’t feel it. God, can you help me?
Child:
Dear God,
Are you real? Amen!
Activity:
At some point, most Christians go through “doubt.” The Bible says we need to believe without seeing, but this can be difficult. For myself, it wasn’t until adulthood and finding my husband where I learned about a relationship with God and began to confront my doubts. This week we will focus the activities on eliminating doubt.
Adult:
- Watch Courageous or Fireproof and write down where the characters had doubts and how they worked through their doubts
- Select a magazine with pictures of different people. Select a picture of someone who you relate to right now and then select a picture of someone who makes you feel how you’d like to feel. For each picture, write a characterization and story about the character.
- Write down your doubts on a piece of paper and then determine: 1) is the doubt a pattern where you’ve had the doubt before. If it is a pattern, think how you’ve worked through the doubt before 2) think through the worst that can happen if the doubt came true 3) Think through your self talk. How can you change negative into positive talk
- Create a vision collage to look at every time you have doubts. The collage should remind you of where your focus needs to be instead of on your doubts.
Child:
- Read books on self-confidence or doubt such as books by Jamie-Lee Curtis and discuss how the book relates to them
- Tell your child more than once they can do whatever they are doubting. Also, use other methods to provide positive thinking such as writing your child a letter and repeating important messages
- Treat your child (ex. go get ice cream) as soon as your child has overcome their doubt.
- Watch Disney movies and discuss where the main characters have doubts and how they dealt with the doubt.
