God Help Me Raise Thankful KidsSample

Thankful in Hard Times

We all want to avoid hardship as much as possible. In fact, many of us try to run the other way whenever we see difficult times ahead. In our verses today, we learned some valuable lessons about the place of thanksgiving in the midst of difficulties.

In the middle of hardship, David cries out to God. “Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Even in deep heartache, David is able to remember who God is and express his trust in God.

In our second passage for today, Peter told us the reason to be thankful for hardship. He said that “these have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

We all go through difficult times and our kids are watching how we respond. We can share our hurt with our kids, but also point out our thanksgiving in the midst of trials.

Our kids struggle too. Let’s be intentional about teaching our kids how to respond when life circumstances are difficult. Sometimes giving thanks is the last thing on our mind, but it is the most important thing to do!

Suggested Prayer:

Father, thank You for the hard things I’m experiencing in my life today. I know You are teaching me, so help me to learn all that You desire. May my children see my teachable spirit and grow closer to You during this time.

Activity Idea:

• At dinner tonight, share about a time in your life that was difficult. What did God teach you through the experience? What are you thankful for now?
• In response, have your kids think of experiences in their own lives where they were thankful in hard times.