Have you ever tried and tried to master something, but you just could not seem to get it right? Have you felt like you would never make a friend, or never feel better, or never pass a math test? Have you had days or weeks where there was one disappointment after another? These and other experiences can leave us feeling discouraged.
- How would you describe what it feels like when you are discouraged? (Answers will vary: Like no one cares, like nothing else matters, like there is no hope; I feel sad, scared, alone, etc.)
- How do you usually act when you feel discouraged? (Answers will vary but may include: Cry, become impatient, have a short temper, feel grouchy, depressed, quiet, stay away from other people, etc.)
Housing that is safe and affordable can be incredibly difficult to find, especially when families face financial difficulties. Habitat for Humanity is an organization that builds homes for families in need.
Share the following video [4:04]:
This is My Habitat House
In this video, we saw families who had been in difficult financial situations receive the blessing of safe, clean, affordable housing to live in.
- In the video, we saw people who had been discouraged in big ways receive hope. What does it usually take for your discouragement to go away? (Answers will vary.)
- While you may not have experienced very difficult situations like lack of housing, all of us have felt discouraged or hopeless at one point or another. What are some examples of situations when you became discouraged—whether these situations are big or small things? (Answers will vary.)
Sometimes, regardless of how big or small the situation, we become discouraged because the circumstances seem too big for us to handle or because things are not going the way we think they should. Let’s see what lifted the spirits of a man who was in a very discouraging situation for 38 years.