FAITH IS BELIEVING JESUS’S WORDS BEFORE SEEING HIS WORKS.

SCRIPTURE | John 4:46-54

CENTRAL TRUTH

Jesus proved that He cares about our needs by coming to our broken world to save us from our sin. If we can trust Jesus with our greatest need—forgiveness of our sin—then we can trust Him to meet our other needs as well. Trusting Him with our eternal life means that we can also trust Him with our earthly life.

KEY QUESTION

WHEN WE’RE DESPERATE, WHY DO WE OFTEN RUN TO OTHER THINGS OR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF JESUS? HOW DOES EVERYTHING ELSE FAIL US?

KEEP IN MIND

Your students may have wrestled with why God heals some people and not others. Christians aren’t immune to the effects of living in a fallen, broken world. Jesus often healed people’s sicknesses and diseases, and Scripture encourages us to pray for healing when we are sick (James 5:14,16). Sometimes God heals, but sometimes He chooses not to heal on this side of eternity. Students may struggle with why God didn’t answer a prayer for healing. We can let them know that they aren’t alone in feeling disappointed, hurt, or confused. They don’t have to hide our hurt or disappointment from Him. Instead, urge students to go to Him; they can hold on to the truth that He is our good, loving Father, who uses everything—even what’s painful—to draw us close and make us more like Jesus (Rom. 8:28). We can invite Jesus into our suffering, knowing He sympathizes with our weaknesses and struggles because He also suffered here (Heb. 4:15).

APPLICATION

IN WHAT SITUATION IS JESUS ASKING YOU TO TRUST HIM BEFORE SEEING THE RESULTS? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE FAITH BEFORE SEEING THE OUTCOME?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: In the waiting, students are called to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7)—to believe before they see. Knowing they serve a powerful and merciful Savior is comforting.

FOR THE LEADER: Jesus knows that our limited human perspective can make it difficult for us to trust Him, so we can look to His power and fulfilled promises to strengthen our faith.