Youth Sermon: Contemplation

Introduction to Contemplative Prayer

Today, we're gonna chat about contemplative prayer. It's like a spiritual chill-out session where you get to hang out with God. But here's the catch - you gotta make time for it.

So, what's contemplation? It's like finding a quiet corner to chat with God. Even Jesus did it, sneaking off to a quiet place to pray. We don't know exactly what He did, but it's a cool reminder for us to find some quiet time with God.

We all want a stronger prayer life, right? But with school, sports, social media, and everything else, it's hard to find a quiet moment.

The Importance of Silence

We're so used to noise that silence feels weird. But the Bible shows us a different, better way.

First, we gotta look up from our phones and focus on God. We get so caught up in the now that we forget about our relationship with the Big Guy. By looking up, we remember that God's got our backs.

Feeling stressed? Try taking a walk and talking to God. Pray about what's bugging you and invite Him into your situation. You can also set a daily reminder for some quiet prayer time.

Finding Peace in the Quiet

Silence is golden, guys. The Psalms tell us to chill and remember that God's with us. Silence helps us hear God's whispers. But our lives are so noisy, we gotta make time for some quiet. God's waiting for us in those quiet moments.

Now, let's get real. Is all our busyness bringing us peace? Are we finding the faith we're looking for? Jesus invites us to come to Him when we're tired and stressed, promising rest. It takes effort to make time for God, but it's so worth it. He's there in the quiet, waiting to meet us.

Imagine your life is like a jar filled with rocks, pebbles, and sand. The rocks are the big things - God, family, friends. The pebbles are the smaller stuff - school, hobbies. The sand is all the little distractions - social media, TV. If you fill your jar with sand first, there's no room for the rocks. But if you start with the rocks, everything else fits in. Make God your rock.

Prayer

This week, try to find a quiet moment each day to pray. It could be when you wake up, before bed, or during a walk. Use that time to focus on God and listen for His voice.

Let's pray: God, help us find quiet moments in our busy lives. Help us hear your voice in the silence. Amen.

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. How do you usually spend your free time?

2. What distractions make it difficult for you to find stillness?

3. How can you incorporate a quiet time with God into your daily routine?

4. What changes do you notice in your life when you spend time in stillness and prayer?

5. How can you help each other in this journey towards finding peace in stillness?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Quiet Time Challenge
• Group Activity: Walk and Talk
• Youth Challenge: Stillness Challenge