When You Feel Like Complaining, Thank God Instead

Let’s get up and dance with your kids in praise! Play some worship music in your home, have fun with it! Raise your hands, jump, close your eyes – enjoy a time of worship as a family. To get you into a groove, here are some songs to choose from:

Every Move I Make - by Hillsong Kids https://youtu.be/MPvnZILn6EY
This Is Amazing Grace - by Bethel Kids https://youtu.be/ZxVadCcRfoI

When You Feel Like Complaining, Thank God Instead

Lesson: “Instead of complaining, I can be thankful.”
Bible Passage: Exodus 16:1-18, Manna and Quail

Today’s story comes to us from the Bible. (Hold up a Bible.) The Bible is God’s word to us, so we know that everything it says is true. (Open the Bible and set it down in front of you as you give the lesson.)

In life, we can choose to grumble and be selfish, or we can choose to be grateful. Everyday we should praise God and give Him thanks. Instead of complaining, we can be thankful.

God had done an amazing thing! He had delivered God’s people from the evil Pharaoh in Egypt. But as they traveled through the desert, the people started to grumble and complain. They didn’t like the desert, and they were running out of food.

They didn’t thank God for watching over them. They didn’t trust that God would keep watching over them. No, they complained.

God loved them and provided food for them. Every morning, God gave them bread from heaven. This bread was called manna. In the evening, God provided quail for the people to eat. God never stopped taking care of his people.

God never stops taking care of us. We should thank him for all he does for us. Sometimes we want to complain and grumble too. We complain that we don’t have this toy, or we complain that we have to go to bed so early, or we complain about having to eat our vegetables.

But let’s not be grumblers and complainers. Let’s remember all the good things that God has done. Let’s thank him for taking care of us. Let’s thank him for loving us. And when things aren’t going right, say “instead of complaining, I can be thankful.”

Simple Prayer:
Dear God, You are good. We thank you for all you have done. Amen

Discussion Questions:
Wiggle Tamer: Play a few rounds of Manna, Manna, Quail. (Duck, Duck, Goose)

Small Group Memory Verse: Have kids say the verse together in a variety of positions: standing, sitting, bowing, standing on one foot, jumping, etc.

Questions: Why did the people grumble and complain? How did God take care of his people? What is one thing you thank God for today?

Game: Ask kids to give you their biggest, best smile. Now ask for their grumpiest, saddest frown. Go through a list of things that might make you happy or sad. As you say each one, have kids indicate which face is warranted. (Examples: we’re going to Disneyland, my favorite toy broke, I’m hungry, I learned how to write my name, etc.) Remind kids that no matter if times are happy or sad, God is still good and we can still thank Him.

Arts & Craft:
Items Needed: Several packages of cotton balls, baskets (one for each kid)

Directions: When God’s people, the Israelites, woke up every morning, there was manna covering the ground. The people simply had to gather up the manna, so that they would have enough to eat that day. They could trust that God would provide again the next day.

Show the kids the cotton balls.

Now, of course, we can’t eat this, but we’re going to pretend that we’re the Israelites and that this is manna.

Give each kid a basket. Toss the cotton balls everywhere around the room. Have kids collect the cotton balls.

Look at all that manna. Look at how God took care of the Israelites. God takes care of us too.

We don’t need to complain, we don’t need to grumble. God is good and he gives us good things. We should thank him always. Remember, instead of complaining, I can thank God.