A Worried Generation (Part 2)

FEBRUARY 21, 2023  |  9 MINUTE LISTEN
HOST: CONNOR OWEN

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Listen on Spotify, Apple, and Google. 

Episode Overview

Walking with our kids, grandkids, students, or athletes requires the ability to step into their lives. When our teens find themselves without hope, it’s tempting to judge their situation through our adult eyes. Instead, what if we remembered the times when we, too, felt that all hope was lost and used those instances to help us show them the hope we found in God?

On this episode of The Approach, we’ll look back on our own lives and think about the mountains God has moved and how we can best support our Gen Zers as they go through their own hardships.

Show Notes

• Most U.S. Teens See Anxiety and Depression as a Major Problem Among Their Peers by the Pew Research Center

Read the Script

Welcome to The Approach. This is one of our prayer habit episodes where we pause our normal rhythm and pray over our topic for the month. My name is Connor Owen, and I am on staff at World Gospel Mission.

A few weeks ago, you joined us for a conversation about worry within our world and specifically why the next generation has a lot of worry or anxiety.

According to the Pew Research Center, their 2019 findings show that teens see anxiety and depression as a major concern. It’s worth noting that teens are more concerned about anxiety and depression than:

• Bullying
• Drugs
• Alcohol
• Poverty
• Teen pregnancy
• And gangs

One of the biggest reasons teens are feeling this anxiety and worry is because of the pressure to get good grades. Other reasons include:

• They want to look good
• They want to fit in
• They want to be involved and good at sports

What I’m seeing here are a few things. Pressure is being put on teens to, first, achieve in the classroom and on the fields or courts; and second, to create and maintain a positive and attractive image of who they are. That sounds like a pressure cooker to me. It sounds like something that is a never-ending cycle of striving and working toward greater achievements.

We’re going to go back to the same verse from our last part 2: Psalm 46:10. We’ll use this as our verse to set the tone for what I believe may be the opposite of a life that is constantly seeking to achieve and do better than the competition.

I’m going to say a line and give you space to repeat that line. And we’re going to do this a few times.  

“Be still, and know that I am God.” 

“Be still, and know.” 

“Be still.” 

“Be.” 

Our guest who prayed with us on Part 1 was Jace Martin, and Jace spent time asking God for more parents and teachers and coaches who loving and caringly walk with youth as these teens mature and grow.

Jace’s prayer has stuck with me…and maybe it’s stuck with you, too.

This is our role, isn’t it? To walk with the next generation as they walk with God and walk through life.

As I was reading through the Psalms over the last few weeks, I came across Psalm 71. Verses 17 and 18 show us that the Psalmist desires to share what God has done for Him with the next generation. He writes:

“O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”

And a few chapters later, in Psalm 78, the whole Psalm is recounting what we must tell the next generation…about the ways God showed up for His people in the wilderness, time and time again.

So, you might be wondering, how do I walk with this next generation? How do I help them when they feel that all hope is lost? The answer is found in the Psalms…tell them how God has shown up for you. And through those stories, God will show them how He has moved and will move.

I’d like for you to think of a situation in your past where God shown up and, against all odds, he moved a mountain. What is one of those moments for you that you could share with your kids or students or athletes?

As you’ve taken time to think through the ways God has moved in your life, now I want you to really think through what your Gen Zer is going through. What is it in their life that may seem hopeless? And I know, the things your Gen Zer might be worrying about may seem small or insignificant to you—maybe they broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend, and you’re able to see it’s not a major loss, but they can’t. I’d encourage you to not let your adult eyes judge how big or small it is. What, to them, is the thing causing them the most worry or anxiety? The thing that appears to them that the world just might end and there’s no way forward?

We know that worry and anxiety are major issues for our teens in our lives. We also know that there are situations in their lives that leave them with little hope. And if we’re honest, we also know that there are days we’d wish they’d simply put a smile on and get over it.

What I hope this time has helped us do is think through the times we needed God to give us hope, and to think through how our teens need hope in their lives.

And now, I’ll leave you with Peter’s words. Peter was told by Jesus three times to take care of His flock, to feed His sheep. Now, as Peter is writing to elders in the church, he draws from Jesus’ words. Peter encourages the elders to:

“Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.”

As Peter called the elders to care for those God had given them, we, too, are called to love and take care of those God has given us—our kids, our students, our athletes. Today, as you walk with them, care for them and use the stories of God making a way in the wilderness in your life to help them see that God will make a way for them, too. 

Thank you to all our listeners for joining us today on another episode of The Approach, a podcast where we pray for and walk with the next generation as they seek to use their gifts, talents, and experiences to journey with Jesus and participate in the Great Commission. 

We’d love to encourage you to begin inviting your friends to join in this movement! We believe God is stirring in the hearts of each generation, and as we seek to walk with and pray for the next generation, it will require more and more mentors, coaches, teachers, and parents to do this work. So, share this with someone who would love to come on this journey with us! And be sure to subscribe or follow and give us a rating on your podcast platform, as this helps others find the podcast. For some of our resources be sure to check out our show notes on our website at wgm.org/podcast.