Today is the second installment of 30 days of resources for your family to use to grow together. Each of our daily activities have the following pieces:
- PLAY TOGETHER: An opportunity to have fun and do something together instead of watching Netflix.
- TALK TOGETHER: Around the dinner table or just two of you sitting on the back porch, take turns asking these questions to learn more about the other.
- ORIENT TOGETHER: In time of need we have an opportunity to renew our vision for Jesus, and pray for His work in our life and world.
We hope these resources are helpful to you as a family. Feel free to share with others as well!
Read Together: While you’re all stuck at home for a lot of the next couple of weeks, commit to reading a book together. You could literally read a book like Chronicles of Narnia out loud. Our you could be very adventurous and pass around a Lord of the Rings book. Or you could show you care for your teenager by reading a young adult novel that they’ve read recently and discussing it with them along the way. No matter how you do it, you’ll engage each other over the course of days or weeks in a way that’s fun and more meaningful than TV.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you have any silly irrational fears? What about serious fears?
- What do you think leads you to fear?
- What are some practical ways to overcome that fear?
What Are You Afraid Of?
I’m scared of horses. There, I said it. Just an absolutely irrational fear of them. People, when they find out about this fear, often ask me, “Did you have a traumatic experience as a child?” Typically, my response is, “Yes, many. But none that have to do with hornless unicorns.” Truth is, I rode a horse one time as a 15 year old as it trotted around a small circle, and I cried like a baby the whole time. Just a blubbering fool.
If I had an explanation for the fear, then it wouldn’t be irrational. I don’t know what causes it. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know if, as a child, I worked the fear up in my mind for so long that it just stuck. But I do know that now, every time I see a horse walking towards me, my heart races and I have a mini panic attack. And my students in our ministry are so kind about it. I’ve come back from out of town to have horse figurines and pictures hidden all over my office. They love me.
Here’s the deal though. We are in an unprecedented time in the modern era. We’ve not seen anything like the projections for COVID-19 since I’ve been alive. And that can lead to some serious fear and anxiety in our hearts. Maybe you’re scared about the unknown ahead. It’s ok to be there. Maybe for some of you, you’d have to peel back layers of the façade before you would admit it. But regardless, Jesus speaks to us about even the smallest ounce of fear. Look what He says:
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe in me.” (John 14:1, ESV)
In the same chapter, Jesus goes on to say that He’s preparing a place for His family, the way to that place is only through Himself, and that the Holy Spirit is coming to guarantee those that are a part of the family as an internal reassurance of love.
So if we take all of this straight up, what we can conclude is that fear is something that is readily present, and can eat at us if we are dependent upon our flesh to try to fight it, but that through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we can rest in the truth that our God knows all that’s going on and all that is to come, and we can rest in that assurance. He’s got the whole world in His hands, you guys.
So take a deep breath, present your worries to God, and rest in the fact that He cares more about you than you’ll ever care about yourself. Read Philippians 4, and preach to yourself 2 Timothy 1:7.
He’s Good. He’s Great. And He’s near. Praise God.
Today’s Family Resource for Growing Together is written by Brooks Anderson, a youth pastor in Lexington, SC.
MODGNIK 