JOIN THE JOURNEY JR.
Families Abiding in Jesus together
With shorter reading assignments and kid-specific focus areas, Join The Journey Jr. is designed to help parents disciple their kids and engage with Scripture in the best ways for their age.
This month's memory verse
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
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I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,
Like Paul’s missionary journeys and arrival in Jerusalem, our lives can face many trials and hard moments. Sometimes, we might face moments that are so painful and difficult that we can wonder what God will do with them. We ask: What is the point of this hard moment? How will God use it?
As we read in Philippians 1:12-14, we learn that God can do much more with our hard moments than we can imagine. Paul writes that his trials ”advance[d] the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). People throughout the imperial guard and many others saw that Paul had his eyes set on Jesus and his ways, even during his imprisonment (Philippians 1:13). Paul’s trials also encouraged other believers to share about Jesus with confidence—speaking boldly and without fear (Philippians 1:14).
What is something hard you have gone through or are going through right now? Maybe it is moving to a new school, having a friend hurt your feelings, dealing with sickness, or something happening in your family.
We may not understand why God has allowed something hard to happen, but we can trust that he is always working—even in the hard things. Our response to a difficult situation can help other people see Jesus.