Young and anxious

I truly feel that the youth of today are restless. In one way or another, and in varying degrees, our youth are faced with the serious choices ahead of them as they move toward adulthood. When we look back on our childhood, we often romanticize it with being young, wild, naive and free. Sometimes even stupid. It’s a chaotic mix of total dependence and total independence, rebellion and obedience, or feeling like we knew it all and totally confused at the same time. With the pandemic interrupting our young people, I believe it is safe to say they mourn the loss of their limited youth. Which brings me to Gen Z.

These young men and women are considered to be the digital natives – the leaders of tomorrow who are on one hand politically progressive but also said to be with the worst mental health issues. That’s what they say, to a point where they are described as entitled kids who think the world revolves around them.

But as I continue to talk to and understand our young people, the one question I asked them was if they felt a sense of restlessness and what they thought was the reason behind their behavior. It seems to me that some young people feel that they want to change so many things about the world, considering they are said to be on the most idealistic side of the spectrum and, while they want to make good changes, they are given too little power to do so. Hence, the ball of such energy has nowhere to go, with little outlets to make them work towards their goals.

In the end and out of frustration, the youth tend to be so critical of things because it’s the only way they know in terms of maintaining hope. For them, criticism becomes the only technique they can use to cope with their anger or hope, unsure of where to channel any of these outwardly and productively. So what else can young people do? Especially when they say they feel directionless and drifting?

In a moment of deep thought and reflection, I have come to realize that we need to help young people find Christ. When I think of the young people of today, I think of Charlie Kirk and how he tried to influence our youth to fearlessly make Jesus Christ an integral part of their lives. I think that young people can learn from the way Charlie Kirk viewed the world and how he actually lived his life. His faith was central both to his life and to his political views and at a very young age, he made the decision to offer it to Christ and follow Jesus. Through Charlie’s example, I believe the young people of today will have the opportunity to see what their future holds and find themselves with direction and purpose.

In an age when many people delay adulthood and treat responsibility as optional, Charlie Kirk called many young people into permanence. Charlie Kirk did not succumb to pressure nor did he soften his position in order to get more appeal – Charlie Kirk clearly emphasized the purpose. To the press, many thought Charlie was a combative personality but clearly, more and more people today are realizing, especially the youth, that he is a figure to be reckoned with and as a Christian, he became an example of what it looks like to hold unpopular views with dignity and conviction and to speak boldly about the saving faith in Jesus Christ.

I personally think our youth today are looking for a role model – someone they can look up to and be able to participate in changing our society. There is no better role model than Jesus and whether or not you previously knew of Charlie Kirk, it would be impossible not to know of him today. Charlie’s faith and courage made a difference – the kind that helps us give a clear testimony of what our purpose in this world is. I’ve been seeing so many young and anxious people and while we may have our generational differences, I see the one binding solution that can carry us through life together – and that is made possible when we follow Christ. Like Charlie, it is our faith that will motivate us to make a difference. While I think America is headed for revival, I do believe, as my pastor says, that God is doing something good for the Philippines.

It is in this regard that I hope our young people can see that they too have a voice and a role in building our nation and while politics and politicians come and go and political moments rise and fall, only Christ can change a life from inside out. Being close to truth and reason helps us engage with courage and clarity and this to me is exactly what the youth of today need, so that they no longer find themselves drifting in anxiety but rather in strength and confidence that is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Our lives are testimonies of all the things we have been able to achieve through the years and while this would be a great milestone, it would be an even greater one if we go through this journey with Jesus Christ, knowing that God’s word and promises are unchanging truths that provide us with a stable foundation in a world filled with uncertainty and change.