WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY MAKE THE MOST IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH

 

"The damage of youth is irreversible; old age normally bears the scars of it." - Gbile Akanni

In the previous post, we saw why we need to make the most in the days of our youth. In this one, we will be looking at some effective ways we can make that happen. Here are four (4) ways for you to explore.

● Seek God in the days of your youth. 

This is one of the best things that can happen to you as a young person who is seeking to make the most of his youthful days.

A life dedicated to God will never lack direction and always ends victoriously. 

In Ecclesiastes 12:1, we see scripture exhorting young people to remember their Creator in the days of their youth before the evil or difficult days come and the years draw near. What a person who did not surrender his life to God can say at the end of life is, "I have no pleasure in them." That is, he has no pleasure in the days and years he has lived on earth because they were devoid of God and His presence. Seeking God and His purposes in the days of your youth grants you direction and fulfilment in life. Because He takes charge of your life to give you a glorious future and an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11).

● Develop the habit of reading.

Reading is one activity that takes you to places you have not and may never be or see and brings you into contact with people you may never meet in life. Reading exposes your mind to new ideas and possibilities. It also stretches your imagination to think beyond what you can see in your immediate environment. Hence, you are not limited by what you see. As Joseph Addison rightly stated, 

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." 

As the bone of a young person is more flexible than an older person, so is the mind of a young person more fertile to retain and process information in diverse ways than an older person. The famous American essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson asserted, 

"The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never return to its original dimensions."

Not reading in the days of your youth is to do a great disservice to yourself because you deny yourself the opportunity to come into contact with ideas and information that will be much useful to you on your journey to the fulfilment of purpose. Make a determined effort not to lack knowledge because lack of knowledge can make even a child of God to perish (Hosea 4:6).

● Watch the company you keep. 

Watching the company you keep implies that you must know where you are going and the kind of people you need to meet and walk with.

"You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the company you keep and the books you read." - Charlie Tremendous Jones

The company you keep has a great possibility of determining the outcome of your life. An eagle always found in the midst of chicks will soon be considered to be one and its wings not having the needed strength to soar to greater heights. So is a lion always found with goats will soon be chewing  grass instead of meat. As a young person, you must be very particular and careful about the company you keep at every point in time. You may not always have the power or ability to determine your environment but you have the power and choice of the company you keep in it. Scripture admonishes us in Proverbs 13:20, 

"He who walks with wise men will be wise but the companion of fools will be destroyed." 

Also, in 1 Corithians 15:33, scripture tells us not to be deceived because bad company corrupts good habits or manners. Therefore, do not be deceived!

● Be focused.

A focused person is not easily distracted. In this time and age, there are many things seeking the attention of young people. Hence, there is a greater need and responsibility to remain focused.

"No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined." - Harry Emerson Fosdick 

Being focused makes you set your face as flint in order not to turn to the right or to the left when pursuing your purpose and vision. When you are focused on something, you gain more light and insight into it. And you are also delivered from compromises and unnecessary distractions (Matthew 6:22). Be focused in all your endeavors and you will realise that you always have the needed light and understanding.

There is a demand on you to make the most in the days of your youth. This is the right time to start investing into your future to make the most out of it. You must make your life count, in order not to be seen as a burden to anyone. 
This is the right time for you to start taking responsibilities. 

"Big or small, there is a difference only you can make."

Please your comments and thoughts are much appreciated. And also watch out for the next post and I believe you will be greatly blessed.

Thank you.

MAKING THE MOST IN THE DAYS OF YOUR YOUTH

"The child shows the man as morning shows the day." - (John Milton, 1671)

There is a poem attributed to an unknown monk who lived circa 1300 AD. The poem goes like this: 

“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”

 The days of youth are times when great visions and dreams well up in the heart and mind of a young person. When these dreams and visions are not incubated and nursed with the right knowledge and the required steps to take,  they tend to become a mirage. The youthful stage is a critical time for any person because this is the stage where habits are formed and the foundation for the future is laid.

"twenty children do not play for twenty years because by twenty years time, they will be in twenty different classes or places."

This simply means those you started in life with when you were young will not be there forever. It will get to a point when each one must find where he/she belongs.If you watch life pass you by today in this youthful stage, you may live to regret it tomorrow.

 "if you are not tough on yourself today, life may be rough for you tomorrow". - Dr. David Oyedepo 

In taking a look at biblical examples, King David took responsibility in the days of his youth by being a shepherd boy in the wilderness, as he learned the skills of being a leader. Also, it was recorded that he behaved himself wisely (1 Samuel 18:5), more wisely (v 14) and very wisely (v 15) as a young person which caused King Saul to be afraid of him. Job also behaved himself wisely in the days of his youth by devoting himself to the ways of God. As recorded in Job 29:4, 

"Just as I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle." 

The secret of God upon his tabernacle is what made him to command exploits when he grew up.

Our perfect example, Christ Jesus also took responsibility in the days of his youth and it was recorded in Luke 2:40 

"And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him." 

It was also recorded that He increased in wisdom and stature, and was in favour with God and man (Luke 2:42,52). It is not surprising that all these were said about Him because as a young boy, Jesus was found in the temple discussing scriptures with the doctors of the law (Luke 2:46-47).

The youthful stage is the time when you are filled with so much strength and zest with which you can invest a lot into your future.

"..... I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." - 1 John 2:14 (KJV)

The truth is, certain things you are able to easily do today may not come handy in some years to come. The Word of God admonishes us in Lamentation 3:27, 

"It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth." (NKJV)

Everyone has a yoke to bear in life and that yoke can also be seen as responsibility. How well each one bears this yoke is what makes the difference in life. The right time to bear that yoke is in the days of your youth.

You must not wait to commit so many mistakes in life before you start desiring to take responsibility. It may be late! Being young is not the time to engage in youthful exuberance and ebullience. These are times of habit formation, foundation laying and vision rearing. The things you get engaged in today, determines the bearing of your future tomorrow. As John Milton rightly said in the opening quote, 

"the child shows the man as morning shows the day."

How is the life you are living today showing the outcome of your future?

In the next post, we will be looking at the ways or how we can effectively make the most in the days of our youth. 

Live in such a way that the whole of heaven and earth will be glad and rejoice for your being here. Cheers!!!