Know the Important Difference

'Know the difference between enjoying your youth and destroying your future.'

-Anonymous

Youth is a Crucial Phase in Life

Youth is exciting! The Bible states that a young person should rejoice during childhood and let one's heart be pleasant. We should follow what is in our hearts, be passionate and happy (Eccl. 11:9). We dream big, aspire much, and perhaps reach for the stars. Our childhood shapes us unlike any other period in life. During puberty we develop more consciously our personality, find our identity, test boundaries, and grow into the person we will eventually become. In our teens we try out things that intrigue us - for the better or the worse. And as young adults we take important decisions that affect the rest of our lives. Youth is precious and a crucial phase on everyone's life and we should enjoy it!

At the same time, we know somehow that the decisions during our early years have a profound effect on our future. We start to become aware that everything has consequences, although it often hits home only later in life. The Bible encourages us to live free of anger and pain in our childhood, as it passes by quickly (11:10). We should, in order to make good decisions, remember our Creator from our youth (12:1). But here's the thing: we have so much to learn in order to become wise, yet we are challenged to make wise decisions! How can we do that? It's best to enjoy youth responsibly with the future in mind. You don't want to destroy your future in your youth, do you?

Knowing the Difference is Crucial

Knowing the difference between enjoying your youth and destroying your future is crucial. Some irresponsible decisions in our youth can have serious or even devastating effects on our future. Some people have to suffer a great deal in their lives because of careless mistakes and wrong decisions in their youth. Some suffer because of their own bad choices, others suffer because of other people's wrong decisions.

It's best not to follow fashion or trends without first evaluating them clearly. We have to make decisions with foresight, not just by emotion or because of temporary problems, convenience or need. It's also important to make decisions in your youth (and beyond) based on God's thoughts about you and His plans for your life.

Here's what God said about His people, beautiful words that reveals something of His heart for you, too.

'For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.' -Jeremiah (29:11)

As a good God, He has good plans for you - to give you a future and a hope. It's heartbreaking to see young people being afraid of the future or depressed at life. We should rejoice, remembering our Creator as One who has prepared 'good works' that we should discover and walk in, as wonderfully created human beings with beauty and potential for greatness (Eph 2:10; Ps 139:14). Humans have intrinsic value, that is, they are valuable in and of themselves. We are not machines, neither is it a positive vision of life to see ourselves as 'highly developed monkeys' as a result of random evolution without meaning or purpose in life. We are created by a loving God who has good plans for us. We are made in His image and can learn to live the way He intended.

Learn, and Make Wise Choices

Knowing that God has good plans for our lives and families, we need to choose wisely - especially in our youth! Youth is a time to learn and make good decisions for our future. Youth is a period in which we prepare for what is ahead of us. We need to make decisions based on common sense and biblical wisdom, as well as in life with God's plans and purposes for our lives. We all know that saying that 'whoever fails to plan, plans to fail.' We don't want to fail, hence we should plan in the sense of preparing for what is ahead and pursue a meaning life.

Youth is a time to learn from your parents, wise relatives, good teachers, and exemplary friends. Many people just follow dumb or irresponsible celebrities. But we should rather seek to imitate that which is noble, beautiful and meaningful. Focus on what is important, not just what is fun. Your career is not limited to what you learn in your youth, but it will shape it to a large extent, especially the values, life skills and practical wisdom we acquire during childhood and youth.

Youth is also a time to learn from other people's mistakes and circumstances, yet humbly not arrogantly. Don't assume you would've done better than others. Those who are arrogant about other people's failures often make the same mistakes; those who humbly learn a lesson will seek to make it better for themselves without despising the others. Learn everything you possibly can in your youth, but also keep learning in whatever stage you are in, as life is a journey of learning and becoming wiser.

Make Right Decisions by Trust in God

So, know the difference between enjoying youth and destroying your future! Think decisions through one more time; get advice from those who have life experience; learn from approved wisdom and find the paths that are right and good. Above all, seek God to show you His good plans to give you 'a future and a hope.' Ask God to guide you and help you. He is faithful and wants only the best for you and your future. Based on all of that, make right decisions. It's worth it! You have only one life, life it well.

Don't be wise in your own understanding independent of your Creator, but commit yourself and your life and future to God (Prov 3:5-6). Keep learning, keep growing, keep developing, keep pursuing. As you place everything in God's hand, you will eventually see God's in hand in everything. Trust Him and His unfailing love!