Middle School Week 4 (April 15): Mindset #4
Mindset #4: God is not against me, but he’s in it with me, working through me, fighting for me.
Action Step: Walk in confidence.
Read Do the True You chapters 14-17 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?
You’re about to do something really challenging, like a big moment in a game, a presentation in front of tons of people, a scary conversation, etc. Who are three people you’d want in the room with you? How would they help your confidence?
Optional activity: Confident or Nervous?
Read these scenarios out loud. Students will give a thumbs-up if they’d feel confident in that situation, or a thumbs-down if they’d feel nervous.
Giving a speech in front of the whole class.
Standing up for someone being made fun of.
Telling a coach you disagree with their decision.
Apologizing first after a fight.
Trying something new in front of people who don’t know you.
Volunteering to be part of a magic trick on a stage.
Singing karaoke with strangers.
Tell youth those are all situations where we’re not actually alone, but we might FEEL alone. But this week, we’re going to realize we’re never alone. God is always in it with us.
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.)
Mindset 3: With God there’s always a way, and by faith I will find it. (Action: Focus on possibility.)
“God is not against me, but he’s in it with me, working through me, fighting for me.” What does this mean to you?
Have you ever felt like God was disappointed in you or against you? What are some things that might make people feel like that?
The mindset also says God is working through you. How can God use you in things like school, sports, or friendships, even when you might feel unimportant or like you’re the wrong person to make a difference?
Read Joshua 1:9. How would you define confidence? What are some situations where you or other teenagers might need confidence?
On page 149, Pastor Steven outlines three excuses we give for not stepping into our potential: I don’t have it, I don’t know how, and I’m not like them. Which one of those do you identify with most? How can those thoughts or the words you speak keep you from your potential?
What does it look like to walk in confidence, knowing God is with you in tough situations? Give some examples.
Pray: God, thank You that You are not against us — You are for us. Thank You that You walk with us into classrooms, onto fields, into conversations, and through hard moments. When we feel insecure or afraid, remind us we’re not alone. Give us courage this week to trust You in real situations. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Go Further
Read Psalms 23:4. What stands out to you when you look at the word “through” in this verse? How can this help you look at hard seasons differently?
What does it look like for God to fight for you? How is that different from fighting your own battles alone?
God is with you even when you fail. How does that change your fear of failure? What risks might you take if you really believed that?
On page 156 Pastor Steven says, "I wonder how often the answer to our prayers and our problems is a few miles or a few months away—but we can't see what God is doing, so we feel alone. We feel left behind. In those moments, we have to choose faith over feelings. That's what the true you would do. It would walk in confidence, knowing that God is in it with you, and he's up to something you can't see. “
Have you ever prayed about something and felt like nothing was happening?
Why do you think it’s hard to trust God when we can’t see what He’s doing?
What does it mean to “choose faith over feelings”?
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Go and DO the True You
“He makes the difference. He makes us strong. He makes a way.” (pg. 131)
This week, choose one situation where you normally feel insecure or nervous.
Before you walk into it, pause and say:
“God is with me. I’m not alone in this.”
Then:
Speak up when you would normally stay quiet.
Tell the truth even if it’s uncomfortable.
Apologize first.
Try something new.
Stand firm in a decision you know is right.
Confidence doesn’t mean you’re not nervous. It means you trust who’s standing with you.