Relish Your Youth

Please welcome one of our newest contributing writer today, Tessa of Christ is Write.

“You who are young, make the most of your youth. Relish your youthful vigor.
If something looks good to you, pursue it. But also know that not just anything goes;
You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.”

~Ecclesiastes 11:9 MSG

Your cell phone explodes with text messages on the latest gossip. The girl in math class got in trouble with the cops last weekend. Your ex-best friend’s boyfriend dumps her the day before prom. Sound familiar? You’ve probably found it pretty difficult to stay true to Christ through all of this drama, peer pressure, and insecurities.

When I was fourteen, I decided I wanted to homeschool rather than go to high school. Why? To put it short, the teenage experience—the drama I mentioned above—didn’t sound so appealing. Instead, I wanted to go after the dreams that God had laid on my heart.

Of course, there were those who thought I was crazy. They told me that I was going to “miss out on the best time of my life.”

I knew it wasn’t true. Because I wasn’t going to miss out on the “best time of my life”—I was simply going to make the most of it instead.

It wasn’t too long after I made this decision when I came across Ecclesiastes 11:9. This verse clearly states what young people are to do: pursue your desires! Draw close to God during your youth. Be different. This is a valuable time in your life, and Christians should not waste these years by trying to follow the crowd. Instead, relish your youth by going after the desires of your heart. And don’t forget what the last bit of this verse, which states: “You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.”

Reflection

What is it that stirs you?

Do you love working with your hands and being creative in activities such as scrapbooking, photography, or drawing? Maybe you’re more talented in music, sports, or dance. Talk to God about these desires. He has blessed each of us with a gift. If you don’t feel as if you have any, ask Him to reveal it to you.

How can you go ahead and pursue this talent?

Do what you can now to get a head start in your future career. Are you into writing? Start developing your craft. Set goals for yourself. God will lead you and give you favor at the right places and at the right time—but only as long as you remain close to him.

Of course, there have been many times when I thought I was missing out on the teen experience. But I’ve had to remind myself that as a Christian, God has called me to stand out. To be different from the rest of them.

And that’s what I challenge you. Relish your youth. This teenage life will fade away, but what we do for Christ will last forever.

Let’s Talk

When we were very young, we were asked the question: “What would you like to be when you grow up?” Think back to that time. What did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher? A singer? Now answer this question again. What would you like to be when you grow up? Is it the same answer as before?

About Tessa

Tessa Emily Hall is an 18-year-old coffeeholic and author of Purple Moon, her first YA Christian fiction novel to be published fall 2012. She is also an editor over the Faith department for Temperance magazine. Tessa also owns a blog, Christ is Write, where she posts devotions, writing tips, etc. Visit Tessa at www.christiswrite.blogspot.com.

 

click here to comment

1 thought on “Relish Your Youth”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Question? 

We're here to help you!

CONTACT US

This is the one thing that will help you find what you need.

Drop us your name and email so that we can send you the Align Life Strategy workbook. 

Scroll to Top