You’re a Christian kid. You grew up going to church, going to youth group, and most of your friends are Christians. But at this point, in the back of your mind, you might find church boring. Maybe church stuff is getting in the way of other things you’d rather be doing. You basically go to church because your parents make you go, if you’re honest about it. You still do the right things because you’re afraid the giant hand of doom will come down if you don’t.
As you grow older, you will start asking questions. Everybody does. Why should I follow a God who threatens people into worshipping Him? Why wait for heaven when I can have fun now? Why not just devote my life to being good to other people and doing my own thing?
If this happens when you get older, it will seem there are only two options: Give up on Christianity or blindly follow what others have told you all your life. But there is another way.
You take another look at God. You read the Bible. In it is the story of God’s love and justice, perfectly reconciled in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This is simple enough for a child to understand and yet packed with deep truths you could spend the rest of your life discovering. In the pages of God’s Word, you see the world has always been a mess but that’s not the way God wants it; most of our problems people caused by being unwise or careless.
When you have searched out and begin to understand God’s character, life becomes an adventure. You willingly, happily devote your talents and skills to serving Him, because in His Word are the best ways to understand the universe, sustain our planet, manage relationships, and even your own life. You are able to endure ridicule and persecution. As you live your life for Him, God seems to grow bigger and more powerful than you originally understood—though He hasn’t changed at all. You have.
You have discovered that God isn’t somewhere far off. He is not mean or disinterested. You will understand God is powerful and intelligent and infinitely loving and just. He cares enough to get personally involved.
So, look for Him. Search for truth. Don’t just accept everything you’ve been told. Get familiar with the Bible, get help from your friends and youth group leaders, read what others have learned, ask questions. Do whatever it takes to know the God who has revealed Himself and His plans for the world in His Word. You have been born into a time when information is freely available, and answers to anything can be found. And what you will find is that God is worth everything.