Thursday, June 3, 2010

Encouraging Young Adults

I have a scripture that really sums up how we are to be living our lives as a Christian and as an encourager. 1 Peter 4:8–11: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”

I truly believe we are living in the end times and we need to be an encourager to everyone we come in contact with, especially our young adults. Many of our young women are struggling spiritually and need to be encouraged by older, wiser and spiritually mature women. I know this personally because my 21 year old granddaughter is living with me and I’m learning from her what many young adults are going through. We need to get interested in a young person’s spiritual life. A lot of young women feel intimidated by older women because they are not secure in their walk with God and they think we have it all together.

• We need to go to them instead of thinking they will come to us.
• We need to be interested in their future, because they are the future.
• We need to get out of our comfort zone and go find out who we can encourage and help grow them to their best potential – God’s potential!
• We need to set a godly example for the young people to follow.

It’s great and we need to attend Church, Sunday School, Community Groups, Prayer Groups and Bible Studies, but what are you doing with all the knowledge you’re learning? Who are you sharing that knowledge with? When was the last time you talked to someone about their spiritual life? Job 29:24 – “When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them.” Sometimes just a smile is a great encouragement!