This lesson teaches children that God hears our prayers and wants us to be patient, kind, and honest while we wait for him to act. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God hears us when we pray, and he helps us be patient, kind, and truthful while we wait for him. We can ask him for help at any time, whether we are sad, happy, or sick.
Memory Verse
James 5:16
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
(WEB)
Hold your hands together in front of your chest like you are praying, then open them wide like a book when you say the words “pray for one another.” Do this motion each time you say the verse together so the words stick in your heart.
The Story: James 5 for Kids
James was a leader in the early church, and he wrote a letter to Christian friends who were going through hard times. Some of the people in his letter were rich, but they were not kind to the workers who had picked their crops. James warned them that God sees every unfair thing that happens. He said that the cries of those workers had reached the ears of the Lord himself.
Then James turned to the believers who were suffering. He told them to be patient, just like a farmer who waits for rain and then waits again for the fruit to grow. He said, “Establish your hearts,” which means keep your hearts strong and steady while you wait. He also reminded them not to grumble or complain about each other, because the Judge is standing at the door.
James pointed to the prophets and to Job as examples of people who kept trusting God even when life was very hard. He reminded everyone that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Then he talked about what believers should do in different situations. If someone is sad, they should pray. If someone is happy, they should sing praises to God.
James also told the church what to do when someone gets sick. The sick person can ask the church elders to come and pray with him, and they can anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. James said the prayer offered in faith is powerful, and God can make the sick person well. He also said that we should confess our wrongs to each other and pray for one another.
To show how powerful prayer can be, James told a story about Elijah. Elijah was a man just like us, and he prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three years and six months. Later he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth grew plants again. James wanted the church to remember that God listens to earnest prayers.
Read It Together
James 5:7-8
7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receives the early and late rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
(WEB)
Point out how the farmer waits patiently for rain and fruit to grow. Ask the children what they are waiting for right now, and remind them that God is working even when we cannot see it yet.
James 5:13
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praises.
(WEB)
Show the children that we can bring every feeling to God, whether we feel sad or cheerful. Explain that praying and singing are both ways to talk to him about what is on our hearts.
James 5:17-18
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn’t rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
(WEB)
Tell the children that Elijah was an ordinary person who prayed. Explain that God answers prayer, and that our prayers matter even when they seem small.
Talk About It
- What is something you have had to wait for, and how did it feel?
- How can you help someone who is sick or sad this week?
- What is one way you can be patient with your family or friends?
- When you feel scared or sad, what can you say to God?
- Why do you think God wants us to tell the truth and keep our promises?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Sun Drawing
You will need a paper plate, crayons, and a cotton ball. Have each child draw a sun in the middle of the plate and glue a few cotton balls around the edge to look like clouds. As they work, talk about how God sends rain and sunshine in his own time, and how he hears every prayer. Let them take the plate home as a reminder to pray.
Wait and Pray Freeze Game
Play a simple game of freeze tag where the children move around the room like they are hurrying about. When you call out “wait,” they freeze and quietly say a short prayer. This helps them practice being still and trusting God in the middle of busy moments. Keep the game short so the children stay focused and having fun.
Prayer Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper, and a pen or marker. Ask each child to write or draw one prayer request on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. Read the prayers together each evening before bed, and talk about how God hears each one. When a prayer is answered, let the child move that slip into a second jar as a way to remember God’s faithfulness.
Teacher Notes
For adults, James 5 calls the church to patient endurance, honest speech, and active prayer for one another. It shows that God cares about justice for workers, comfort for the suffering, and healing for the sick. The chapter also teaches that prayer is a real and powerful way to bring our needs before a God who listens and responds.
Avoid promising children that every prayer will be answered in the way they hope. Instead, emphasize that God always hears them, that he is good, and that he can be trusted even when the answer is “wait” or “not yet.” Be careful not to make healing or outcomes sound guaranteed, and remind children that God’s wisdom is always greater than ours.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, thank you for hearing every prayer we pray. Help us to be patient while we wait for you, and help us to be kind and honest with the people around us. When we are sad, help us to come to you. When we are happy, help us to sing your praises. We love you, and we trust you. Amen.
