Philippians 4:8-9 (NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression, and eating disorders are common among adolescents these days. The pandemic was a particularly traumatic experience for their age group. Besides having to deal with their emotional, hormonal, and physical changes and social isolation, gender fluidity advocacy has brought confusion. For example, they might be unsure whether a close friendship with the same sex is considered homosexuality which is widely advocated in schools and social media. The need for acceptance and peer pressure may cause them to conform to something contrary to their beliefs. As parents, we need to make sure that they can speak freely to us about issues they face in school. We must not shut them up, be too busy for them, or only focus on their academic performances.
Third-culture kids (TCK) who are living outside of their parents’ culture and move every few years have the additional challenges of rootlessness and lack of social stability. It can be challenging whether it is relocating to a new country or repatriating. Generally, adjustments get harder as they grow older and become more aware of themselves and the environment. Many of these adolescents and young adults may be high achievers academically, but deep down, they struggle emotionally against feelings of isolation, rejection, and a lack of belonging. They may have an identity crisis.
These youths and adolescents battle against insecurity and rejection, which if not properly managed, may spiral into depression and possible self-harm. So how can we help them maintain peace in their hearts and their minds? We need to make sure that they have a firm and secure identity by being grounded in the “new creation” realities and having a good understanding of who they are in Christ. If they know they are not defined by what other people say or the standards set by the world, it will not affect them, and the same applies to us. Therefore, they need to set their standard on what God says about them and how He sees them, rather than fallen human’s comments and actions.
As parents, we also need to apply different management strokes to every child, according to their different personalities. We need to love them based on how they function and carry out the needful communication. We must create a safe and stable environment for them as much as possible. Most importantly, we need to help them secure their identity in Christ based on the Word of God, because that is the key to maintaining peace in their hearts and minds.
Sermon Series: Up! Cell Group Campaign (Part 2)
帮助我们的孩子找到平安
腓立比书4：8-9 弟兄们，我还有未尽的话，凡是真实的，可敬的、公益的，清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。你们在我身上所学习的，所领受的，所听见的，所看见的，这些事你们都要去行，赐平安的 神就必与你们同在
情绪障碍如焦虑、抑郁和饮食失调在青少年中很常见。新冠疫情对那个年龄层是一个特别痛苦的经历。除了要处理情绪、荷尔蒙和身体的变化、与人隔离外，提倡变性也带来了困惑。 例如，他们可能不确定与同性亲密友谊是否就是在学校和社会媒体广泛宣传的同性恋。被接纳的需要和同辈压力可能导致他们去效法而违背了他们自身的信仰。 作为家长，我们需要确保他们能自由地向我们谈论他们在学校里遇到的问题。我们不能阻止他们说，或总是忙的没时间和他们沟通，或者只关注他们的学习成绩.
第三文化小孩（TCK）生活在父母的文化之外，每隔几年就会搬家，他们还要面对没有归属感和缺乏社交稳定性的额外挑战。无论是移居到一个新的国家还是回到原居地，这都是一个挑战。一般来说，随着年龄的增长，他们对自己和环境的意识越来越强，让调整变得更加困难。这些青少年和年轻人中的许多人可能在学业上成就优异，但在内心深处，他们与被孤立、排斥和缺乏归属感的感受在作斗争。他们可能会有一个身份认知的危机.
这些年轻人和青少年与没有安全感和被拒绝的感受作斗争，如果不加以妥善处理，可能会导致抑郁和自残的可能。那么，我们如何帮助他们保持内心和思想上的平安呢？我们需要确保他们有坚固且稳固的身份被建立在“新造的人”的现实基础上，并清楚知道在基督里他是谁。如果他们知道他们不是由别人所说的或世界所设定的标准来被定义，那些就不会影响他们，这也同样适用于我们。因此，他们需要根据神对他们的评价和神如何看待他们来设定自己的标准，而不是根据堕落的人的评论和行为来做判断。
作为父母，我们也需要根据每个孩子不同的性格，对他们采取不同的管理方式。我们需要根据他们的运作方式来爱他们，并采取有必要的沟通。我们必须尽可能地为他们创造一个安全和稳定的环境。最重要的是，我们需要帮助他们以神的话语为基础来建立在基督里的身份，因为这是保持他们内心和思想上的平安的关键。
讲道系列：天天向上! 细胞小组活动2023 (第2部分）
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