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Youth SIGNS OF SPIRITUALLY WEAK
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SIGNS OF SPIRITUALLY WEAK YOUNG PEOPLE
Steven López
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Young Christians fight an ongoing spiritual battle. The only way to win this battle is to hold on tight to faith and never fall, as some do, into a false spirituality.
YOUTH prayer. Such conditions are essential to develop intimacy with God and, consequently, to be able to listen to the voice of the Lord. Otherwise, people become spiritually weak and an easy prey for the enemy.
The signs of spiritually weak young people are the following:
Pride. Just as humbleness is the main feature of Christians, so pride is the first evidence of a spiritually weak person. When young people stop being humble, pride starts to gain momentum. As a result, they do not own their wrongdoings but imitate or focus on other’s mistakes.
Selfishness. Spiritually weak people lose empathy and can no longer perceive the needs of others. They only focus on their own interests and remain indifferent to suffering. If they once committed to spreading the Gospel, now they try to avoid it.
Wavering faith. Fickleness of faith is very common among spiritually weak young people. They used to have strong faith, but now even the smallest obstacle is enough to make them doubt or even give up altogether. They are also easily influenced by the worldly currents. No fasting or praying. Young people affected by spiritual weakness pray in a very mechanical and disengaged
Walking in the Spirit comes from a full communion with God, from faith nurtured through His Word and prayer. Such conditions are essential to develop intimacy with God and, consequently, to be able to listen to the voice of the Lord.
Some people try to fill the void in their hearts with the false, fleeting happiness given by money, luxury, unhealthy entertainment, etc. After a while, when the day comes where it all inevitably ends, their inner self feels even worse than in the beginning.
The same goes for Christians. The beginning of their path is promising and encouraging, but by neglecting the pillars of faith they fall into a depressing, shallow spirituality that leads many to a tragic ending without even noticing.
Walking in the Spirit comes from a full communion with God, from faith nurtured through His Word and manner. Also fasting becomes very hard, as they are away from God. During service, instead of seeking God, they are distracted, mentally elsewhere.
Fear and doubt. Spiritually weak people are easily attracted by earthly pleasures, but also discouragement and negative. They become a victim of the devil.
No Bible reading. Every time they open the Bible to read, they feel tired and discouraged. They put the Bible down and seek pleasure from other sources.
Lack of vision. Spiritually weak people lose their spiritual vision, and they call right what is wrong, and wrong what is right. They constantly judge other people and do not accept any rebuke. Instead, when they are told off, they play the victim and forget that rebuke is necessary for God to guide us.
