This lesson teaches children that they can bring their sad and scared feelings to God, because He always listens and never stops being God. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the reading, and a short activity.
Big Idea
When we are sad, we can tell God all about it. He hears us, and He is still in charge and loves us.
Memory Verse
Lamentations 5:19
You, the LORD, remain forever. Your throne is from generation to generation.
(WEB)
Teach the children to put both hands on their hearts, then lift them up high like they are handing their worries to God. Say the words together slowly, lifting your hands on “forever,” so the motion reminds them that God is always there.
The Story: Lamentations 5 for Kids
A long time ago, the people of Jerusalem had a very hard time. Their city had been broken, and many of their homes were taken by strangers. Families were scattered, and parents and children were hungry and tired. Nobody was there to rescue them.
One person who lived through this sad time wrote a prayer to God. He did not hide his feelings. He told God that everything felt wrong. He said that the people were weary and had no rest, and that the good things they used to enjoy, like music and dancing, had stopped. Their hearts felt heavy, and their eyes were dim from crying.
The writer looked up and remembered that God was still on His throne. He said to God, “Why do you forget us forever?” It was a question that many people ask when life feels too hard. He was honest and did not pretend to feel fine.
Then he asked God to turn the people back to Him and to make their days new again, like they used to be long ago. He did not know exactly how God would answer, but he trusted that God was still listening. He kept talking to God even while he was sad.
This chapter teaches us that it is good to be honest with God. He wants to hear what is in our hearts, even the hard parts. We can cry to Him, and we can ask Him to help us.
Read It Together
Lamentations 5:1
Remember, the LORD, what has come on us. Look, and see our reproach.
(WEB)
Point out that the chapter starts with the word “Remember.” The writer asks God to remember what has happened to His people. Ask the children what they think it means to ask God to look at our trouble.
Lamentations 5:15
The joy of our heart has ceased. Our dance is turned into mourning.
(WEB)
Show the children how the writer describes a happy dance turning into mourning. Explain that sometimes our feelings change very quickly, and it is normal to feel that way. Ask them to name a time their joy turned into sadness.
Lamentations 5:21
Turn us to yourself, the LORD, and we will be turned. Renew our days as of old.
(WEB)
Point out the words “Turn us to yourself.” The writer asks God to bring His people back close to Him. Explain that prayer is a way of asking God to come near to us, and that God always wants to be close to His children.
Talk About It
- What is one thing that makes you feel sad or worried, and how did it feel in your body?
- Why do you think the writer felt it was okay to tell God how he really felt?
- What does it tell us about God that He sits on His throne forever?
- How can you pray to God when you feel scared or lonely?
- Who is someone you can go to with your sad feelings besides God?
Activity Ideas
Worry Heart Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and scissors. Have each child draw a big heart and color it with the colors that match how they feel right now. Then ask them to cut a small slit at the top of the heart and tuck a folded paper note inside where they write or draw one worry. Talk about how we can give our worries to God by trusting Him with them.
Bring It to God Walk
You will need a open space in your room or classroom and a few soft items, like pillows or stuffed animals. Start by having the children walk slowly while acting out feeling heavy and tired. Then, on your signal, have them stop, lift their hands up high, and say “God, You are still here.” Repeat a few times so the children feel the difference between feeling weighed down and turning toward God.
Prayer Jar at Home
You will need a clean jar, some small slips of paper, and a pen. Each day for one week, have your child write or draw one thing they feel sad or worried about and place it in the jar. At the end of the week, read the notes together and pray over each one, thanking God that He hears every single one. This helps children see that God listens to their feelings every day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Lamentations 5 shows that honest grief has a place in faith. The chapter does not hide the suffering of God’s people. It names their losses plainly and then brings them to God in prayer, trusting that He still reigns. This is a good model for prayer that is raw and real.
Be careful not to suggest to children that if they pray the right way, all their sadness will disappear right away. The chapter ends with a prayer that God would restore His people, but it does not promise a quick or easy answer. Help children understand that God hears them and cares, even when the answer takes time.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that we can tell You when we feel sad or scared. Thank You that You hear us and that You are still on Your throne forever. Help us bring all our worries to You and trust that You love us. Amen.
