Middle School Week 3 (April 8): Mindset #3
Mindset #3: With God there’s always a way, and by faith I will find it.
Action Step: Focus on possibility.
Read Do the True You chapters 10-13 before your group meeting.
Watch the video: Encourage students to take notes on what stands out to them and what they want to remember.
What’s On Your Mind?
On a scale of 1-10, how dramatic do you get when something doesn’t go right the first time? (1 is “Eh, no big deal. I like a challenge!” 10 is “I hate this, and I already don’t want to do it anymore. I’ll never get it right!”)
Optional activity: The Only Way
Put students in pairs or smaller groups. Give each group a simple “problem scenario.” Their job is to brainstorm as many possible solutions as they can in 30 seconds. Quantity over quality!
Example scenarios:
You forgot your homework, and class starts in two minutes.
You and a friend aren’t talking after an argument.
You didn’t make the team you wanted.
You feel anxious before a presentation.
You’re grounded, but there’s something important happening you want to be part of.
After 30 seconds, groups share how many options they came up with.
Talk about how everyone came up with so many solutions (whether good or not so good). Sometimes we think there’s no way forward, but often, it’s just that we stopped looking. And with God, there’s always a way.
Shift Your Mindset
Review the previous mindsets with your group before jumping into this week’s discussion:
Mindset 1: I’m not stuck unless I stop. (Action: Commit to progress.)
Mindset 2: Christ is in me. I am enough. (Action: Accept your Self.)
Read Matthew 26:39. “With God there’s always a way” doesn’t mean that with God you will always get your way. What’s the difference between these two statements?
This week’s action step is “Focus on possibility.” What’s the difference between ignoring a problem and trusting God to work through it and make a way?
What does it look like to focus on possibility and not just pretend everything is fine?
What’s something you’ve avoided because you assumed it wouldn’t work out? What would it look like to take one faith step instead?
Pray: God, thank You that You are never stuck and never surprised. When we face challenges, help us remember You are with us and already working. Give us courage to seek You and Your will instead of quitting. Teach us to trust that You are making a way, even when we can’t see it yet. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Go Further
Read Joshua 1:5-6. God tells Joshua to be courageous even though He had just promised to be with him. What are some areas where you need to decide to be courageous? How does knowing God is with you change how you face hard things?
“With God there’s always a way.” Have you ever had a plan for how something should go, but it didn’t turn out how you expected (God’s way was different from yours)? What happened?
Read Hebrews 4:16. Have you ever had a moment when you didn’t see a way forward, but later you realized God was helping you? What did you learn from that? How can remembering that give you courage now?
“Something is over, but something else is beginning.” (pg. 110) What’s something that’s over and you need to move past it? How has it been keeping you stuck?
What steps can you take this week to focus on something else that is beginning?
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Go and DO the True You
“Faith enables you to grow through whatever you go through.” (pg. 102)
This week, when you’re facing something tough, instead of saying, “There’s no way,” pause and say:
“With God, there’s always a way.”
Then take one small faith action to focus on possibility and grow through the situation:
Ask for help instead of giving up.
Try again instead of quitting.
Pray first instead of panicking.
Look for a lesson instead of an excuse.
Make one brave decision you’ve been avoiding.
The goal isn’t pretending things aren’t hard. It’s refusing to believe they’re impossible, and taking action while trusting God.