In this lesson, children learn that they can be honest with God about hard feelings, because God listens even when we are sad, tired, or confused. This lesson is for ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God wants to hear our true feelings, even the sad and worried ones. We can talk to Him about anything.
Memory Verse
Job 7:11
“Therefore I will not keep silent. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
(WEB)
Have the children put one hand on their chest and gently pat it as they say the words slowly with you. Then they can open both hands out in front of them, as if giving their feelings to God.
The Story: Job 7 for Kids
Job was a man who loved God very much. But one very hard time came into his life. He lost many things that were precious to him, and his body became sick and sore. Job felt so tired and uncomfortable that he could hardly sleep. Each night seemed to go on forever, and he tossed and turned until morning came.
Job began to talk to God about how he was feeling. He said that his days were passing quickly, like a weaver’s shuttle moving back and forth across the loom. He felt like they were slipping away without any good things in them. He wondered if he would ever see anything good again. He was not hiding his sadness from God.
Job’s friends had come to visit him, but they did not always know what to say. Job did not feel like keeping quiet. He said, in his own words, that he would speak out of the pain in his heart. He told God that he was tired of his life being so hard, and he asked God why it was happening.
Job wanted God to understand exactly how he felt. He asked God a big question: why does God pay so much attention to people? Job did not stop talking to God. He trusted that God was still listening, even when everything felt heavy and dark.
Read It Together
Job 7:1-2
1 “Isn’t a man forced to labor on earth? Aren’t his days like the days of a hired hand? 2 As a servant who earnestly desires the shadow, as a hireling who looks for his wages…
(WEB)
Point out that Job describes his life as hard work and a long wait, like a worker who wants the day to end. Ask the children what it feels like to be tired after a long day, and explain that Job felt tired in his heart too.
Job 7:7
Oh remember that my life is a breath. My eye shall no more see good.
(WEB)
Show the children that Job is being honest about his sadness. Explain that Job is talking to God directly, and that talking to God about hard things is something people can do.
Job 7:16
I loathe my life. I don’t want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.
(WEB)
Help the children see that Job’s words were very strong when he felt terrible. Remind them that God still heard Job, even when Job said things that were full of pain and frustration.
Talk About It
- What is one feeling that is hard for you to tell someone about?
- Why do you think Job told God how he really felt instead of hiding it?
- What is something that makes you feel tired or worried at bedtime?
- How do you think God feels when we share our sad feelings with Him?
- Who is someone you can talk to when you are having a hard day?
Activity Ideas
Feelings Faces Craft
You will need paper plates, markers, crayons, and craft sticks or tape. Have each child draw a few faces on the plate, showing happy, sad, tired, and worried feelings. Let them tape the faces to craft sticks so they can hold up the face that matches how they feel. Talk about how God knows every face we make.
Tired Tossing Game
You will need a soft blanket or pillow and a bit of open space. Invite the children to lie down on the floor and then roll slowly from side to side, like Job tossing in bed at night. Then have them sit up and say one honest feeling out loud. Remind the group that God is always ready to listen.
Feelings Jar Take-Home
You will need a clean jar, paper slips, and a pencil. Ask each child to write or draw one feeling on a paper slip and place it in the jar at home. Encourage them to talk to God about what is inside the jar each evening before bed. This helps them remember that they can bring every feeling to Him.
Teacher Notes
Job’s words in this chapter show that honest complaint is part of a real relationship with God. Adults can see that Job never stops speaking to God, even when he is confused and full of pain. The chapter teaches that bringing raw emotion to God is a faithful act, not a faithless one.
With children, avoid overstating the idea that God will always remove our hard feelings right away. Job’s story does not end in this chapter, and children should hear that God listens even when answers and comfort take time.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for listening to us. We can tell You when we feel sad, tired, or worried, and You always hear us. Help us to trust You with every feeling we have. Amen.
