By Bailey Wagner, High Adventure Coordinator/Senior Counselor
This past week at camp I learned a lot from middle school/high school age kids.
The first thing I learned is how much society has affected the way these young adults think. It wasn’t uncommon to see or hear girls and guys talking negatively about their bodies or how they dress or just about their life in general. It was heart breaking to see that these kids didn’t see value in themselves, or that they didn’t believe that they are loved or that they were wonderfully made.
The next thing I learned from this week is that a lot of young adults have pride issues. They either believe they are too good for something or that they aren’t as bad as the person next to them. A lot of kids didn’t see what it meant to be humble and vulnerable because in society today you aren’t supposed to do that—you’re supposed to build up walls and act like you’re always okay, which is what most kids did. But then everything changed.
Wednesday night I saw kids literally having their walls being broken down one by one, and their beliefs about themselves drastically changing and it was so encouraging to see. I saw kids praying for one another for realizing that their pride was not who they were but that they were allowed to be who they are in Christ, and that was so encouraging to see.
Going along with that, I wanted people who read my posts and pay attention to what I post about to understand a couple of things. It says in Psalms 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Everyone was created by God and he does not mess up on his creations. We are all different in many ways, no matter if you are tall, short, brown hair or blonde hair. In God’s eyes you are wonderfully made. Society is going to show you that you always need to look better, that you’re never going to look good enough, and that there is always someone that is going to be better than you. But that’s false. Rest in the fact that you are already loved unconditionally by someone who created you. Stop trying to impress everyone or trying to lose so much weight or trying to be like someone. Be like yourself because there is no one like YOU.
Secondly it says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, my Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” You don’t have to act like you are always okay. Life is not supposed to be perfect. Trust me when I say times will come that will bring you pain, or will make you feel weak. But that’s the best part because that’s when Christ’s light will shine through you the most. Holding everything in and pretending will not get you anywhere. Being humble and vulnerable during the times when you honestly just need a hug, someone to let you cry, or someone to let you show your emotions is okay.
God is always listening. It says in Matthew 28:11, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” It does not say only some people, or only guys or girls it says ALL. There’s a reason we go through the suffering and the pain and the struggles of this life. It’s not because God wants us to have pain and suffering, it’s because he wants us to come to him and rely on him for everything. Trying it on your own will only lead to brokenness. And God takes brokenness aside and will make it beautiful.
