Teenage years signify the height of confusion for many parents, guardians, and spiritual leaders. These are the years when young people struggle to find their identity, want to explore, go wild, and do whatever they want without taking caution.
As elders – parents or spiritual leaders – it is expected that you help these teenagers seek wisdom and truth from God’s word as it can guide them through their journey.
Most times, teenagers tend to care less about engaging in God’s word. However, they may love Jesus Christ and consider him their saviour probably when things aren’t right. The only moment they ponder on God’s word is when they feel the need to and probably when they think it would speed up the answers to their prayers.
There are times when the life of a teenager gets transformed, and their relationship with God changes. Then they come to realize that they need to get more focused on the word of God. This, therefore, pushes them to engage more with the scriptures.
Ways Teenagers Can Be Plugged into God’s word
There are a number of simple ways by which today’s teenagers can interact more with God’s word. They include
1. Draw/Journal the Word.
First, you have to realize that God’s word is not just a story, but a revelation of the heart of Jesus. You just don’t read the scriptures like its some novel, but you have to read and understand it, reflecting upon every single word in it. Journaling can help you keep tabs on your spiritual progress, and how it has affected your daily life.
2. Ensure You Take Notes.
Highlighting and underlining certain portions of the bible isn’t a bad idea, you know! It is just a matter of circling or taking down notes on the passage. Whenever you read the word and come across striking words, you could also take them down.
There is no difficulty in note-taking; you just have to start with a verse, read it carefully and repeatedly to understand what the passage is talking about.
One good thing about note-taking is that it helps you to learn more and go deeper as you interact with Christ in the passage. Always remember that there are no “wrong notes”.
3. Focus On One Verse.
The time spent on interacting with God’s word doesn’t have to be lengthy. You can receive a “verse of the day” by text or email and talk to the Lord about it. You could also write down such notes in a notebook you keep with you all the time.
Little verses and notes are a reminder that Jesus is always talking.
Parents should ensure to help their children get mentors who connect with God in the same way they do, especially if their spiritual temperament is the opposite of yours. Your role as a parent is to expose them to the unique ways that God can communicate to people.
Youth leaders should endeavour to help teenagers understand that God’s word is not old or stale. Teenagers wonder a lot about what Jesus actually wants from them, but then it’s not really complicated as his thoughts are written down for us.
Jeremiah 29:13 says: “if you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me”. Jesus Christ is not far away or hidden, but we can’t feel his presence until we open our hearts to receive him.
4. Find a local church that appeals to you.
The church is God’s plan A, and there is no plan B. Ensure that you are going to church. If there is a youth group in the church, join them.
You can go to summer camps, and invite your friends also to join the youth group. Now is the time to get involved, give your time, energy, and life to building a lasting relationship with God and his scriptures.
Conclusion
You don’t have to wait till you’re old with grey hair to make a difference for Christ; you can make that difference now in your teenage years. Every teenager must go through a certain refining process, and it’s not too late to begin yours.
Hopefully, the most fruitful years for you are still ahead. But as Paul says to Timothy, “let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1Tim 4:12).
