Patience: How Hard Could That Be?
April 15, 2020 • Abby Ciona • James 5:7–8, Romans 12:12, Psalm 33:20
To be honest, I’m not very good at patience. I struggle with waiting. I begin to think the worst has happened when my friends are ten minutes late for a party at my house. I can’t sleep when I’m waiting for an important announcement. I get frustrated when someone doesn’t respond to my email within forty-eight hours! . We all spend years of our lives waiting. Waiting for our orders at a restaurant. Waiting for answered prayers. Waiting for a true friend. Waiting for Jesus’ return. . This all goes to show how important it is to learn patience... because we are all waiting. . So then, what are we supposed to do? Lounge around in our basements, watching the clock and eating snacks? . Not at all! The type of waiting that honors God is purpose-driven and action- focused, and it’s so much more than sitting around. . Continue to talk to God about what you’re waiting for. Trust Him and root yourself in His Word and your church. Continue to point to Jesus, using the gifts and talents you’ve been given in service to His kingdom. Search for God’s countless blessings—they are there, even when you might not see them as clearly right now. . Patience in the waiting is difficult, but, in Christ, you aren’t alone (Matthew 28:20). Though we might wish a response would come sooner, God will answer in His perfect timing, completing the kingdom work He started in us (Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). • Abby Ciona . • What things cause you to lose your patience? Why? . • Read Matthew 28:20, Philippians 1:6, and 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. As Christians, what promises from God can we rest in while we wait? . Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NIV)
A Confusing Book
April 5, 2020 • Abby Ciona • Proverbs 30:5, 2 Timothy 3:14–17, Psalm 119:18
The Bible can be hard to read—seemingly old-fashioned religious practices, strange cultural rituals, and impossible-to-pronounce names! So how are Bible scholars, let alone teenagers, supposed to make sense of it all? I certainly felt this way in my tenth grade Bible class. By the end of the first month, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever read the Bible correctly. . Maybe you’ve felt this way too. The good news? If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit is with you and will help you understand what you’re reading (1 Corinthians 2:4-16). One way He does this is by providing people and resources to help you better understand God’s Word. Below are some places to start: . • First, pray, asking for understanding so you might hear God through His Word. We hear God in the Bible because the whole book points to Jesus—who is God. It is the true story of how He has reached out to rescue humanity. He is the only One who can save us from sin and death and restore us to a right relationship with God and others. When you read a confusing part of the Bible, ask, “How does this passage point to Jesus and what He has done?” . • Second, read verses in context to help you better understand what God is saying through the verses. For example, if a verse starts with therefore, skim back a chapter to see what information the writer is pointing back to. . • Third, check out other resources, such as study Bibles, that include notes to help you understand more difficult chapters of the Bible and explain the significance of stories. Daily devotionals like Unlocked can help you apply God’s Word to your own life as well. . • Fourth, ask for help. Speak with a trusted Christian in your life, like a pastor, camp counselor, or youth leader. Remember, everyone has trouble understanding God’s Word sometimes (2 Peter 3:15-18). As believers, it’s important that we study the Word together as a group regularly (1 Timothy 4:13). We are not meant to study alone. We can know God will faithfully deepen our understanding of His good news in Jesus (Philippians 1:6). • Abby Ciona . • Read Romans 12:1-3. What is this passage saying about what it means to walk with Jesus? . • Now read Romans 11, going straight into Romans 12:1-3. How does this background information make the start of Romans 12 more meaningful? . Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Psalm 119:18 (NIV)
Dream Big
January 13, 2020 • Abby Ciona • Proverbs 3:5–6, Matthew 28:19–20, 1 Corinthians 10:31
A lot of us had big dreams as kids: to be astronauts, singers, chefs. But where do those dreams go when we’re older? As Christians, we have a great calling: to follow Jesus wherever He leads us, including using the talents and dreams He has given us for His kingdom. . God often uses our dreams and talents to show us where He wants us to go. God has put dreams in many of our hearts. Maybe you’re thinking of one right now. You can use that dream to bring glory to Him. . My whole life, I’ve dreamed of being an author. In the past few years, I’ve discovered how perfectly this dream aligns with the gifts and abilities God has given me. And while I love writing, it takes a lot of effort and struggle to write a book. Often I find myself thinking, *Am I even the right person to be doing this?* . It’s hard stepping into the unknown, but God never said it would be easy. Instead, He promised to be with His people wherever we go—in the successes and the failures—as we use the gifts He has given us for His kingdom. . My writing, like any dream, will involve hard work and highs and lows. But I can trust God through it all because He is the greatest Author, He is the Creator, and He has a plan more incredible than any story we could ever write. . Someday we’ll look back on the trials we face in seeking to serve God, and we’ll see His incredible handiwork. Following God in the dreams He has given you will be hard but so worth it...because His kingdom will never be shaken. • Abby Ciona . • What are some of your talents and gifts? . • As a Christian, when you fail or face disappointment, how does Jesus carry you through (Ephesians 2:8-10)? . • Whether your God-given dream is to become a missionary to a foreign country, a world-class chef, a stay-at-home parent, or a hard-working plumber, you can use your talents for God’s kingdom. How is God glorified in all of these callings? . So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)