High School Week 5 (April 22): Mindset #5
Mindset #5: My joy is my job.
Action Step: Own your emotions.
Read Do the True You chapters 18-21 before your group meeting.
Watch the video: Encourage students to take notes on what stands out to them and what they want to remember.
What’s On Your Mind?
What’s something small that can instantly ruin your mood? Be honest! (e.g., slow Wi-Fi, losing a game, phone not working, hearing you missed out on something, etc.)
Shift Your Mindset
Review the previous mindsets with your group before jumping into this week’s discussion:
Mindset 1: I’m not stuck unless I stop. (Action: Commit to progress.)
Mindset 2: Christ is in me. I am enough. (Action: Accept your Self.)
Mindset 3: With God there’s always a way, and by faith I will find it. (Action: Focus on possibility.)
Mindset 4: God is not against me, but he’s in it with me, working through me, fighting for me. (Action: Walk in confidence.)
“My joy is my job.” Do you live like that’s true? When something ruins your mood, do you usually feel in control of it — or controlled by it?
We can choose joy, and gratitude is a muscle we can train to help us do that. Pastor Steven shared an exercise he uses to remind himself every good thing he has comes from God. It’s called GR8FUL, and you list eight things you’re grateful for as fast as you can. What are you grateful for right now? GO!
Read Philippians 4:4-7. Paul wrote this from prison. How does that change the way you read “Rejoice always”? What does this passage teach about the relationship between anxiety, gratitude, peace, and joy?
⬆️ Bible Bite: When Paul wrote the book of Philippians, he wasn’t sitting on a beach somewhere feeling relaxed and inspired. Most scholars believe he wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome (see Acts 28:17-31). He was chained, waiting to stand trial, and unsure of what would happen next. And yet, Philippians is one of the most joy-filled letters in the Bible. Over and over, Paul talks about rejoicing. That matters because it shows us joy isn’t about circumstances — it’s about perspective. Paul couldn’t choose his situation, but he could choose his focus. He chose to focus on what God was doing instead of what he was going through. Joy is something we can choose, even when life feels unfair, uncertain, or out of our control.
What usually impacts your mood the most? (e.g., people, stress, comparison, your phone, etc.) What does it mean to “own your emotions”?
Emotions aren’t bad — but we are responsible for what we do with them. The book talks about NEW (Notice, Evaluate, Walk in). Which part of NEW do you struggle with most:
Noticing what you actually feel?
Evaluating whether it’s true?
Walking in what you are supposed to — faith and courage?
How can choosing joy help you own your emotions rather than them owning you? What are some specific ways you can choose joy this week?
Pray: God, thank You that our joy doesn’t have to depend on what happens around us. Help us become aware of our emotions instead of being controlled by them. Teach us to guard our hearts and choose gratitude over negativity. When stress or comparison tries to take over, remind us You are steady. Give us wisdom to respond instead of react. Help us take responsibility for our joy this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Go Further
“To manage your joy, you have to manage your focus.” (pg. 187) Read Proverbs 4:23. What does it mean to guard your heart? Why would the Bible warn us to do this?
What does this look like practically in high school? What are some ways people aren’t careful with their hearts?
Read Galatians 5:22-23. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit — what role do you play in growing that fruit?
What happens to your mood when you focus on what you don’t have? What happens when you get grateful and focus on what you do have?
Talk about a situation this week where you know you’ll need to choose joy ahead of time.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Go and DO the True You
"You need a heavenly strategy to keep your emotions in check." (pg. 195)
This week, when you feel anxious, afraid, angry, or anything else that might make you unhappy, choose joy. Tell yourself, “My joy is my job,” then do one of the following:
Thank God for being with you in the moment.
Thank God for something He did for you recently.
Replace one negative thought with truth from scripture.
Encourage someone instead of venting.
Step away before responding emotionally.
Do the GR8FUL exercise below.
You can’t control everything that happens, but you are responsible for how you respond.