There is a lot of talk about the drama, self-centeredness, and sense of entitlement that characterizes the teenagers of today. As the parent of two teens, I am acutely aware of the emotional baggage and family dysfunction that many of their friends deal with every day. My heart breaks for kids from broken homes or those who are left to fend for themselves because Mom and Dad are too caught up in their own work or the extracurricular activities of their children that personal love and attention get lost in the mix. It is a recipe for emotional and social disaster, and a tendency I myself have to guard against in a world that become increasingly demanding of my own time and resources.
Kids just want to be loved and understood. Sadly, many of them also want to fix what is broken in the lives of their friends. In doing so they get caught in the crossfire as a result of taking on someone else's emotional baggage. To them -- to you -- I want to say, "You can't fix other people." Don't try. Don't lose yourself trying to make things better for someone else. Be wise. Set boundaries. Know when you're in over your head. Most importantly, stop trying to be what God never intended -- the savior of your generation!
There is only one Savior, only one who can fix the broken hearts and lives of your generation. You can't; only He can.
Rather than try to fix what is wrong with your friends, let God fix what is wrong with you. You aren't perfect either. When you let God do his work in you and pray from a heart that is pure, things begin to change. You change. You begin to pray that your friends will see the change in you and begin to change themselves.
Life is hard enough without you taking on the weight of your friends' problems. Let God do his job, in your life and in theirs. If you really care about your friends, let God have his way in your life and stop trying to have your way in theirs. Be a friend. Set boundaries. Give God his rightful place and he will give you peace.
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