How do we encourage our young people to live powerful, purposeful and pure lives? After all, Jesus came that they would have life, and have it in abundance. That doesn’t mean they won’t make mistakes or struggle. But I believe that God has a grand plan for every young person. In fact, Isaiah 54:3 declares, “Your sons and daughters will conquer nations and revitalize desolate cities”. Wow!
How do we help them navigate living in a highly sexualised, me-centred society?
As humans, we have been created with some basic needs. We all know that we need food, water and shelter to survive. But we also have two other very important needs. 1. A need for intimate healthy relationships and 2. to be connected to a purpose bigger than ourselves.
Let’s discuss the need for intimate relationships and I’m not talking about sexual relationships. A healthy intimate friendship, simply means that you are loved, valued, and listened to by a close friend or mentor. They know the good bad and ugly about you and still stick by you. You are able to share the deeper parts of who you are. You have conversations that bring life and joy into your heart. You are seen and known. As a single woman, I’ve had to be intentional about building these relationships into my life. If we don’t have healthy intimate friendships then we seek to fill that need for intimacy in unhealthy ways….. i.e. through sex, porn, drinking, workaholism, social media and the like. We see a generation desperate to be seen, loved and known for who they are, but so many are fulfilling these needs in unhealthy ways.
Secondly, God has created us for a purpose, to be connected to a cause greater than ourselves. Just attending a church or youth group does not equal purpose, it’s important but they need more. Again I’m so thankful that I was given so many opportunities to lead and to get involved in local and overseas missions as a young person. This filled that need to do something important with my life that still continues to this day. Families & churches need to work together to help our youth discover the adventure that God has for them. To discover what gifts and abilities God has placed in their life and how they can be used. After all, according to Isaiah, they are here to be involved in nation & city-building.
Have we failed our youth in giving them small visions?? Our great God has a powerful purpose for each of their lives. Let’s do all we can to help them discover this. There is so much more!