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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me lean on God during hard times, like standing on a rock in a storm. Amen!


Jesus taught: "Only people who do God's will can go to heaven. Everyone who listens to me will be like a man who built his house on a rock: Floods and wind came, but the house didn't collapse. Those who don't listen will be like someone who builds a house on sand: When floods and wind come, it falls apart."

What's the worst thing that ever happened to you? Some kids might say, "My parents got a divorce," "I broke my leg skiing," or, "My grandmother died."

When that terrible thing happened, how did you react? You may have cried or yelled; you may have felt empty inside for a long time. You may have acted up at school or gotten in trouble at home. It probably took a while before you started feeling better.

In this week's Gospel (Mt 7:21-27), Jesus reminds us that, like bad weather, bad things happen - but not everyone handles it well. The people who get through it best are the ones with faith in God.

Remember when you were struggling with something really hard? There were probably moments when it was hard to believe you would feel better again - but, here you are, surviving and even feeling happy. Hopefully, you leaned on God during that hard time.

Jesus said that the people who don't believe that God is right there with them in the "storm" of hard times are like people who build houses on sand. Sand isn't solid; it can shift and blow away. It isn't a good foundation for a house.

People who build houses on rock can trust that the house will make it through a storm. God is that rock to stand on when the worst things happen in life; it might be hard to get through the day, but you can at least know that God is always there. You may shake like a house in a storm, but you won't fall apart.[[In-content Ad]]

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