Two weeks ago, our group of teens from Flemingdon Park attended a youth retreat. We had the chance to take some time to examine our attitudes and responses to Jesus and the Gospel. We focused on John the Baptist's question in Matthew 11 and the Christ’s Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13. The teens took time to think through their own questions consider whether they had experienced Jesus’ description of certain seeds that fell along the path, on the rocky places, among the thorns, or on good soil.
It was interesting to hear the different questions and doubts the teens had about Jesus. Many of the teens and leaders in the group also found a common similarity of relating to seeds that fell among the thorns, “where the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word”.
Many agreed that “life” often distracted them from their relationship with God.
At the end of the retreat, the teens shared what they wanted to remember from our weekend Bible time. One shared how they wanted to remember that other people struggled with worries just like them, while another teen wanted to remember that Jesus still loved them despite questions and doubts.
One of our favourite worship songs in Flemo is “My Lighthouse” by Rend Collective. How appropriate are the lyrics to what we discussed this weekend.
In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won’t walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
Rend Collective – My Lighthouse
Please pray that as the teens wrestle with doubts, failures, and the worries of this life, that they would turn to God to find truth and peace that surpasses all understanding.