WHEN WE PLACE OUR FAITH IN ANYTHING OR ANYONE BESIDES GOD, WE’LL FACE DEFEAT. 

SCRIPTURE | 1 Samuel 4:1-11 

CENTRAL TRUTH 

If we aren’t careful, we take God’s presence for granted. The fact that God is truly with us is a gift and not to be taken lightly. 

KEY QUESTION 

WHAT DOES THIS PASSAGE HELP YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT GOD’S PRESENCE? 

KEEP IN MIND 

When life gets hard, many of our students turn to God. Difficult situations often wake them up to their great need for Him. But we want them to realize they have great need of Him every single day. He sustains our every breath. He is sovereign over every minute of our lives. We often forget the Lord in the mundane, or everyday, parts of life. God wants to have a real relationship with us. He wants us to be intimately connected to Him. He wants to be more than just the One we turn to when life is difficult. He wants to be in the good parts, the mundane parts, too. He wants to walk with us always. Walking with God every day will mean our students can more easily lean on Him when life does get hard because they’ll know Him—they’ll know His kindness, His goodness, and His faithfulness. 

APPLICATION 

IN WHAT WAYS DO WE TREAT GOD SIMILARLY TO THE ISRAELITES? WHAT DOES IT REVEAL ABOUT OUR HEARTS? 

THE WIN 

FOR THE STUDENT: When students only view God as a means to give them what they want or as a way to make their lives easier, they’re missing what their hearts were created for: relationship with God. Encourage them to call out to God everyday—in the good and in the bad. 

FOR THE LEADER: We’re often just as guilty of only going to God in our times of need. When we do this, we miss out on the beauty of daily relationship with God. Lean into your relationship with Him. Spend time with Him each day in the same way you encourage your students to spend time with Him.