How to Thrive in TeenagehoodSample

Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone / Life after a youth festival

One thing I always found after coming home from awesome Youth camps was that I really really wanted to go back!!!

I wanted to only be around people who had the same core values as me and lived for and worshiped Jesus too. Though this was not a realistic scenario, because despite the fact that it will be like this forever in heaven, we are in a world right now that is too lost and in need of Jesus for us to keep his light to ourselves “under our bowls” (Matt. 5:15). This is why God needs us to “put our light on a stand” (Matt. 5:16) and to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). It’s the mission for God’s people.

Part of the story of the Exodus relates to this quite nicely as the Israelites had to travel from Elim, back into the wilderness.

Elim was like a youth festival where they had everything they needed to satisfy themselves and to live in peace. However, God needed them to keep moving because he had greater plans which involved other people, not just the Israelites. If we didn’t go to the wilderness, i.e. schools, workplaces etc., we wouldn’t be able to get to where God wants us to go. We need to travel to these places so that we can shine our light and share the gospel to those who need it, but also to those that God knows really want it.

And God never said this would be easy… but time and time again he reminds us of his promise that he will always provide enough for us to keep going. He may not give us what we want (Elim) but he will give us what we need - an example being the manna from heaven provided to the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years straight! When God calls us to step outside of our comfort zone, we can do so knowing that he will guide us, protect us and provide us with enough to keep going if it is his will for us to do so. And even if it seems as though we are heading nowhere, as the Israelites must’ve felt, we need to trust that it is all part of God’s plan for his kingdom to come.

Father I pray that you help us recognise opportunities which could be used for your kingdom instead of ours. Help us always trust that you will give us enough and let us follow your guidance, not for good opportunities, but for God opportunities.

Questions:

How did you feel after coming home from time away with your youth group?

What places of your life (real or imaginary) would you call your ‘wilderness’?

How can we pray more about God’s kingdom over our selfish desires?