This lesson teaches children that they can tell God exactly how they feel, even when they are sad or upset, because God is still listening. It works well for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God wants to hear our true feelings, even the sad and angry ones. We can be honest with Him, because He is always ready to listen and to be with us.
Memory Verse
Psalm 62:8
Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before him. God is a refuge for us. Selah.
(WEB)
Have children place both hands on their chest, then lift them up and open them wide, as if giving something to God. Repeat the verse together, making the opening motion each time you say “pour out your heart.”
The Story: Job 3 for Kids
Once there was a good man named Job. He had a large family, many animals, and a happy life. But then many terrible things happened to him very quickly. He lost his animals, his servants, and his children, and he became very sick with painful sores all over his body.
Job was so sad and hurting that he wished he had never been born. He opened his mouth and said that the day of his birth should disappear, and that the night he was born should be dark and quiet. He did not want light or joy on that day. He felt tired and afraid, and he wanted to rest from all his pain.
Job asked some hard questions. He wondered why he had not died as a baby, and why he was alive when he was so miserable. He said, in his own words, that he could not eat without sighing and groaning, and that the things he feared were coming true. He did not feel calm or peaceful at all.
Job’s friends came to visit him, but they did not know how to help. Job did not pretend to be happy. He told God and his friends exactly how he felt. Even though he was hurting, he kept talking to God instead of hiding from Him.
Job’s story is in the Bible so we can learn that God is big enough to hear our hardest words. Job was honest, and God did not turn away from him. The rest of the story shows that God was with Job even in his pain.
Read It Together
Job 3:1
After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth.
(WEB)
Point out that Job began by speaking up. Explain that Job did not stay quiet about his trouble. Ask children what it feels like when they want to say something but are scared or sad.
Job 3:11-12
11 “Why didn’t I die from the womb? Why didn’t I give up the spirit when my mother bore me? 12 Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breast, that I should nurse?
(WEB)
Show children that Job asked “why” questions to God. Explain that asking questions is a way of talking to God honestly. Let children know it is okay to wonder about things they do not understand.
Job 3:25-26
25 For the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me. 26 I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes.”
(WEB)
Tell children that Job described being troubled and having no rest. Point out that Job still spoke these feelings out loud to God. Remind children that they can bring their worries and fears to God in the same way.
Talk About It
- What is one feeling you have had that was hard to share with someone?
- What do you think Job wanted God to know about how he felt?
- How do you feel when you know someone is listening to you carefully?
- Why do you think God wants us to tell Him the truth, even when it is sad?
- What is one thing you could say to God the next time you feel worried?
Activity Ideas
Feelings Faces Craft
Give each child a paper plate, crayons or markers, and a craft stick or tape. Ask them to draw a face showing a feeling they have had, such as sad, scared, or angry. Attach the plate to the stick so they can hold it up. Use the faces during prayer time to show God what is in their hearts.
Pour It Out Game
Fill a cup with dried beans or small pieces of paper, each one labeled with a feeling word. Have children take turns pouring a few into a bowl and saying a feeling they could tell God. Cheer for each one. The movement helps children picture pouring out their hearts before God.
Honest Prayer Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Ask them to write or draw one honest thing they want to tell God this week. Help them tape the card to the inside of a cereal box or shoebox to make a simple prayer box. Encourage them to add a card each time they have something to say.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Job 3 shows that honest lament is a real and faithful way to pray. Job does not hide his pain or pretend to be strong. He speaks openly to God, and the book as a whole shows that God stays present with those who suffer. This passage can help adults and children alike see that bringing raw feelings to God is part of a living relationship with Him.
When teaching children, avoid implying that Job’s words were all correct or that children should always wish for death or feel hopeless. Job’s speech is full of despair, and the wider story corrects many of his assumptions. Keep the focus on the fact that God welcomes honest prayer and that help and hope come from Him.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for listening to us when we feel sad, scared, or upset. Help us tell You the truth about our hearts, just as Job did. We know You are always with us, even when we do not understand. Thank You for loving us. Amen.
