Going Deeper in “Saying Yes to God”
Read the following a few times:
Luke 1:26-38; Isaiah 6:8; 1 Sam 3:10; Prov 3:5-6
Reflect on the following:
1. What’s the biggest decision you’ve had to make this year?
2. Have you ever said yes to something that scared you at first?
3. Gabriel calls Mary “favored.” What do you think it means to be favored by God? Do you ever feel like God notices you?
4. Mary asks, “How can this be?” What kinds of questions do you ask God when life doesn’t make sense?
5. Saying yes to God could have cost Mary friendships, reputation, and safety. What do teens today risk when they try to follow God?
6. Who are the people Mary would have had to trust after saying yes (Joseph, family, community)? Who do you trust when your faith feels hard?
7. Mary doesn’t get all the details—just a promise that God will be with her. Why is waiting and not knowing so hard?
8. What does “Here am I” sound like in a life today—at school, at home, online, or with friends?
9. When have you felt God nudging you to do the right thing even when it was uncomfortable?
10. What does this passage teach us about God’s initiative and human response working together?
11. Joseph’s obedience appears later in Matthew’s Gospel. How do you imagine Joseph also had to say “yes” to God in this story?
Spiritual Challenges:
1. The Listening Challenge - Set aside 10 minutes each day this week to sit in silence and pray, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Write down any nudges, scriptures, or insights you receive—without judging or rushing them.
2. The Trust Step Challenge - Identify one area of your life where God may be inviting you to trust rather than control. Take one small, concrete step of obedience—making a call, offering forgiveness, volunteering, or letting go of fear.