POINT 4 – DO NOT BECOME APATHETIC
Sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing. Have you ever thought that? When? (allow the child to answer) Maybe it’s hard to not yell or throw something when you get mad or when you don’t get your way. Maybe it’s hard to obey your parents when you really do want to and would rather do what you want to do. Maybe sometimes it’s hard to actually hang up your clean clothes instead of stuffing them in a draw. Or throwing your trash in the trash can instead of leaving it on the counter. Maybe we do these things sometimes because we really don’t care about doing THOSE right and good things. Sometimes, it’s just hard to do the right thing, or it takes extra effort on our part. But, we should not become APATHETIC in doing good or in doing the right thing.
What do you think that word APATHETIC means? (allow your child to answer: it means to not care or to show no interest). When we become apathetic, where we don’t care about doing the right thing, the enemy can creep into our thoughts. When we get sluggish or lazy about doing the right and good things. That is not something we want to happen. Because, if we are doing the good and right things, then we are doing the bad and wrong things. That allows the enemy to be able to have an opportunity to overcome us.
If we get in a habit or a pattern of not caring about the small things, we won’t care about the really big important things either. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:9 (NLT), “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” If we can keep going, keep trying, keep giving our best, following Jesus, growing in our relationship with Him, praying to Him, praising and worshiping Him, reading His Words in the Bible, memorizing His word and speaking His word – every day…He promises us, that at just the right time, we will get blessings! We will OVERCOME the enemy, if we do not get tired or apathetic in DOING and USING GOOD!
Discussion Questions
- What are some things you know are the right/good thing to do, but you don’t always do it? Maybe you “cut corners?”
- Why do you feel like not doing the right/good thing sometimes? Is it hard? Does it take more time or effort?
- What happens when you don’t do the right/good thing?
- Are there things in your relationship with Jesus that you can do better at or care more about? (Examples: Prayer, praise and worship, reading the Bible, memorizing scripture, praying His word out loud, etc)
- How can you do better? (Examples: Make time during the day to do it – same time every day, etc.)
Scripture Memory Verse
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” – Galatians 6:9 NLT
Prayer
Holy Spirit we ask you to come into our presence right now. Search our heart and mind. Show us areas in our relationship with you that we can care more about and do better. We also ask you to show us other areas in our life that we can care more about and do better or more good. Help us to not get tired of choosing to do good, to use good, and to do the right thing. Help us to always care about doing good and using good. Help us to be strong and to choose to do good and the right thing even when it is REALLY hard or takes more time or extra effort. We want to do our best to not let the enemy have any opportunity into our mind or our heart. We want to be strong and stand firm against him, always. Help us, Holy Spirit. Jesus, we thank you for the victory you have already won for us. That because you chose to do good and to do the right thing all the time, we have hope that we can too! We pray all of these things in your name, Jesus, amen.
Application
Write down your child’s answers to discussion questions #4 and #5 and help them get a “game plan” of HOW to do better in the things they wish to do better in. Help them make time in the day to read the Bible, memorize scripture, pray, put on praise and worship music (have a praise break in between school subjects while homeschooling), etc. Help them put their plan into action! Spend time doing these things right alongside them, modeling it for them. 🙂
Worship Song
“I Just Need U.”