During the lesson, the information for you to know is written in regular type, and what we suggest speaking or reading aloud to children is in bold. All resources for this lesson, including the Teacher Guide, Student Page, Family Connection Card, and other resources can be downloaded in a ZIP file by clicking on the following link:
In some lessons you will find "resource articles." These are articles written by experts from around the world to help equip you for your work with children and adolescents. Share them with parents or guardians if you consider it appropriate.
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5
As a Christian, there is a battle between who you were and who God is creating you to be. It is a battle between the old self and the new creation. And the battlefield is your mind. In this battle, it is truth versus lies, and fear versus God’s promises.
Stop all unhealthy thoughts when they first enter your mind. When you do this, you “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.” You “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This week, commit every thought to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you recognize every unhealthy thought and replace it with thoughts of things that are excellent, lovely, and praiseworthy.
Let the families know that their children are learning to identify unhealthy thoughts and replace them with healthy thoughts. Encourage family members to share a negative thought they had that day and think of a way to replace it with a positive one.
Teacher Tip: If possible, email or text the Family Connection Card to the families of your students.
Greet the children and ask a few to share if they were able to successfully use any of the strategies they learned last week to help them with difficult emotions.
At our last meeting, we talked about dealing with difficult feelings. We learned healthy ways to calm down so we can think before we act.
Name any of the strategies that your children forget: squeeze and relax your muscles, count to 10 slowly, daydream, listen to music, exercise, laugh, talk it out, name your feelings, and read the Bible and pray.
Good job remembering the tips! Once we have calmed down and figured out what we are feeling and thinking, we are ready to make changes. To do this, we need to understand how feelings work. Feelings work like a chain reaction.
Act out the following diagram as you talk your children through the process of changing negative feelings. Start at the left side of your teaching space, say what is in the first box, then take a few steps to the right. Say what is in the next box, then take a few more steps to the right. Continue this until you say what is in the last box while you are at the far right of your teaching space. As you walk across the space, explain that this is how feelings work.
Work through 2 examples using the same event and different thoughts to clearly demonstrate that thoughts affect feelings. Feel free to come up with your own examples that might better fit your children, especially if the examples here might be too emotionally difficult for some children. As you talk through the following examples, move across your teaching space each time, from left to right.
To change our difficult feelings, we need to change our thoughts. Our thoughts are our inner voice or the things that we say to ourselves. We call this “self-talk.” We are always saying things to ourselves (in our minds) about ourselves, other people, things happening around us, and our past and future.
Some of our thoughts may be true, but others are definitely not. We often have untrue and unhealthy thoughts about ourselves. For example, have you ever thought these untrue things about yourself? “I am not good enough.” “I cannot do anything.”
Sometimes we interpret situations the wrong way. For example, when I see a group of girls whispering, I may think, “They are talking about me” even though they are not. Unhealthy thoughts often make us feel bad about ourselves or other people. Also, unhealthy thoughts usually become stronger when we experience negative feelings.
The Bible tells us how to have healthy thoughts. Listen to this verse. If we really believe this verse, we will not fall into the trap of bad thinking.
Before class, write this verse on the chalkboard or large paper, if possible.
If you are using the Memory Verse Poster, show it to the students.
Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things.
Philippians 4:8, NIrV
Suppose you feel unhappy. Maybe you feel angry. How do you change your feelings? Begin by paying attention to your thoughts. When you notice that you are thinking unhealthy thoughts or even thinking lies about yourself, tell yourself, “Stop!” Then, replace the unhealthy thoughts with new, healthy thoughts.
Explain that you will walk across your teaching space again. Begin at the left side, move to the centre and finish on the right side. Tell your children that this is how to put the Bible verse into practice.
With God’s help, you can become good at replacing your unhealthy thoughts with new, healthy thoughts. It does not happen instantly. Practice, practice, practice! Ask God to help you and remind you of what is true.
I will tell you some unhealthy thoughts. I want you to tell me what healthy thoughts could replace them.
Read the following comments to the children. More than one child may want to respond to each one. Encourage them to use “I” when they talk.
I will never learn English. I am just too stupid.
For example, a child might replace this unhealthy thought by saying, “I am very good at math, so I cannot be stupid.”
Optional: If you are using Student Pages, there is space there for children to practice replacing unhealthy thoughts with healthy thoughts.
Here are some other ways to handle difficult feelings:
Congratulate yourself when you deal with your feelings in a healthy way. You deserve it!
We all have to deal with unhealthy thoughts from time to time. The Bible tells us that we can replace unhealthy thoughts with healthy ones that encourage us rather than discourage us. When you encourage other people, you help them think positive, healthy thoughts.
Think of a sentence of encouragement you can give to the child sitting next to you. Place both your hands together like a cup. Put your hands into that child’s hands and open yours as if you were dropping a gift into his hands. Say a word of encouragement to him. You can come up with your own, or you can say, “God has given you the ability to think lovely, excellent thoughts instead of angry or sad, unhealthy thoughts.” Then change roles and you will receive a gift of encouragement from your partner.
Give the children a few minutes to do this activity. Close class by praying Philippians 4:8 from the NIrV as a blessing over the children. Consider praying over each child individually as you do the cupped hand motions again. If your class is too large, read the blessing over the children and then have each child turn to 2 others to pray it over them, using the cupped hand motions again. Also you can stretch out your hands towards the children and pray for them.
Blessing: “Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things.”
Lead the children in singing this quarter’s song, if possible.
Life on Life ©2020 David C Cook. Reproducible for home or classroom use only. All other uses require written permission from David C Cook [email protected]. All rights reserved.
