EXTRA! Ideas for Adults – Limited Resources Limitless God – When Your Confidence Falls Short

Date: January 11, 2026

Session Title: When Your Confidence Falls Short

The Point: We can stand victoriously because of Christ.

Get Into the Study

Read after DISCUSS, Question #1:

The Book of Romans assures us that we will face challenges of many kinds in our life-time. When we do, here are some proven ways to help us cope.

• View challenges as opportunities to grow. Consider why this is such an issue for you, take note of your reactions to better understand yourself and the challenge ahead.
• Set achievable and measurable goals with realistic expectations so that you’re able to meet, or even exceed, the challenge.
• The old adage, “Try, Try again,” holds true with every challenge. Develop resilience by bouncing back after difficulties.
• Find and maintain support systems that will help you weather the storm. Separate from toxic relationships and keep only those that lift you up, encourage you and strengthen you.
• Practice gratitude. Nothing dispels fear, anxiety and frustration like naming all things that you have to be thankful for.
• Celebrate every day, small wins because when these add up, they make the big challenge less overwhelming.

While all these points and tips are very helpful, we must prioritize reliance on God to help us overcome challenges in our life. When was a time in your life that you had to lean on God for strength to make it through a challenge?

8 Strategies to Face Challenges Head-On and Thrive

Study the Bible (Option for Adult Leader Guide)

In advance, play a worship song like “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” to give people an opportunity to praise God through song. Either use this as a time of reflection and prayer or invite a volunteer to lead the group in singing.

Live It Out

Read after GUIDE:

Making time to sit with God can be challenging. It can be hard to clear distractions—our mind wanders, our thoughts go every which direction and we seem to lose focus so fast, it hardly seems worth it. Here are a few suggestions on how to create a focused, distraction-free Bible study journaling experience that you can repeat day after day.

1. Make sure you have a Bible that fits your reading style. There are many translations, from CSB to ESV to NIV and KJV. Pick the one that makes you excited about reading and learning from God’s Word.
2. Ask yourself, “What is my motivation for doing this?” Write it down and keep it front-and-center so that you can make Bible journalling a priority.
3. Choose a method for Bible Study to journal—there are many different ways to explore a passage, such as Verse Mapping (Choose a verse, study its meaning, write reflections, and illustrate key ideas.); the SOAP method (Scripture: Write out the verse; Observation: Note what stands out; Application: How does this apply to your life; Prayer: Write a prayer based on the verse.) or Creative Art: Draw or use color and design to express the Scripture’s message.
4. Pick a Scripture passage. Some good places to start are the Psalms, the Gospels and Proverbs.
5. Reflect on what God is saying through the passage. What does this teach me about God? How does this apply to my life? What is God saying to me today?
6. Keep at it! Don’t give up, even when it seems too hard. Make it a priority, get up early or go to bed a little later. Pray God will show you a time in your day to make it happen.
7. Go back to your journal in a week, month or year to see how God spoke to you and kept His promises. You will also see how much you grew, and the spiritual benefits of sticking with it.

What is one practical step that you can take today to get started with a Bible Study journal?

How To Start Bible Journaling For Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide to Growing in God’s Word

The week’s writer for Extra is Erika Morrison. Erika is the daughter of missionary parents. She lives in Southwest Michigan, where she serves as the executive director of a human services non-profit, and speaks regularly on poverty culture, and having a relationship with Jesus.

Additional Questions

Icebreakers

• If you’ve ever broken a bone, or sprained a joint, what was the healing process like?
• When has a sickness or circumstance made you physically weak?
• What’s a new challenge you might like to tackle one day?

1 John 3:21-24. We stand confidently as we remain in Christ and obey Him.

• Why do some people place confidence in personal abilities rather than a personal Savior?
• What are some ways we can build our own self-confidence?
• According to this passage, what’s the best way to have confidence as a Christian?

1 John 4:1-3. Not everyone who claims to speak for God walks in the truth of Christ.

• Why does John warn Christians about believing everyone who claims to speak in Jesus’s name?
• How can you practice loving others while also being discerning about them?
• Who are people who deceived (and hurt) others, claiming to be from God?

1 John 4:4-6. We stand confidently because the One we stand in is victorious.

• How can we cultivate a greater and deeper awareness of our identity in Christ, and let that affect the way we interact with others?
• Why are we able to stand confidently when facing false teachers?
• How does verse 6 give you confidence in sharing your faith boldly?

Podcast

Click here for a podcast to help both the group member and the leader.