Finding Faith in a Changing World

Today in America the number of people who do not identify with any religion is increasing and most are young people. They fall out of their religion for different reasons, for some it happens when they go off to college, others may not have anyone to encourage them to follow their faith, perhaps some fear rejection and others may fall because they never really believed in God. Week after week, parents across America worry about not being able to have their sons or daughters worshipping with them. And they also worry that if they force them to go they’d only be pushing them away. Some kids have a busy school schedule and as parents, we don’t want to demand more time from them. We may all have valid reasons but we must not hold back. Millennials want close relationships with their parents, they see parents as friends this is why they may be more open to listen to their parent’s advice. I recall a conversation with my own niece, who was struggling to find her place in the church, and how our open and honest discussion about her doubts helped her feel more at ease and eventually, more connected to her faith. For instance, I've seen this play out in my own family, where a simple, non-judgmental conversation over a cup of coffee can be the catalyst for a young person to re-examine their faith and find a renewed sense of purpose. This was evident when my niece began attending a local youth group, where she met like-minded individuals who shared her values and passions, and together they explored their faith in a safe and supportive environment.

Now, we cannot say that Millennials are rejecting or denying their faith, in fact most are searching for God and they find themselves struggling to hold on to their faith. Why? Because unfortunately for some there are only two answers, when their prayers seem to go unanswered they think that either the divine presence is absent from their lives or it doesn’t exist. This brings them disappointment and causes them to believe that a higher power is not invested in their well-being, leading them to pull away. There are so many other factors that contribute to young people finding themselves distant from their faith, and religious beliefs. For example, they may have the idea that God’s existence needs to be proven to them. Some may have felt doubts about their beliefs and they were afraid to express them so they were never addressed. There is also the different conflicting views on sexuality that lead to intense contradictions with their own values. What ever the case may be, young people need to be introduced or re-introduced to God’s love, they need to know that God is someone who loves them; when they realize it they will stay and they will build strong foundations of trust, respect and love and in turn, a strong relationship with God.

Heavenly Father, we ask for your guidance to help our young generation find faith. We pray for them to come to know you, may your love and power reveal themselves to those who haven’t found you or have lost their way. Please break the bondage of whatever is holding them back so they may seek you again. Amen