The youth of today live in a time of diverse challenges, extreme peer pressure and temptation. Cross culture gives them incertitude of who they want to be or what they want to be. The media has been key in this dilemma faced by the youths. It continues to advocate immorality, indecency, obscenity, insolence and crime through music, movies, shows, commercials and modern day celebrities and top superstars, whose lives on TV are to fictitious to be real.

As the youth buy into these clandestine snares of the media, which deceptively appear as everything a young person needs, they become blinded and incapable of perceiving their ultimate purpose in life and on earth. Ecclesiastes 12:13 states that the duty of man in his entirety is to fear God and to obey His commandments. This entails that a divergence from this duty will bring fulfilment to one‘s life and soul. Oblivious to this fact, many young people have given into peer pressure and the devious vices of the media; resorting to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, clubs, fornication and many others to find solace and meaning for life. They forget that this can only be found in Christ Jesus, who declared in John 10:10 that He came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly.

The doing of something erroneous and use of something toxic may seem to be fulfilling because it is new and incipient. But what we fail to realize is that their satisfaction rapidly decreases and soon ceases. Not just that, but also, everything that doesn’t pertain to or come from God will leave us with a deep desire to find something more substantial.

I recall how I fervently indulged in clubbing, partying, drinking, abusing drugs, listening to immoral, vituperative music and idolizing corrupt celebrities. I pursued everything they promoted; violent and rebellious behavior, lust and sexuality. I saw all my peers do the same as well. In the spur of the moment, it seemed purposeful and felt fulfilling. But not long afterwards, it brought me misery, dissatisfaction, a tentative life.

Often, I lingered through the night, awake and reflecting on life, wondering what would bring meaning to it. The more I indulged in the immoral and erroneous things that preoccupied my life at the time, the dissatisfaction and misery I felt became even greater. And so, I turned from one wrong to another in search of meaning, satisfaction and fulfilment. This is very common amongst young people. They even often resort to suicide to conquer this misery. This is done so because of misconception about how to end misery. See, most commit suicide as a means of ending one’s misery, emptiness and dissatisfaction. But the soul is eternal, and it can only be satisfied by something eternal – the source from which it came to be.

There has never been a time in my life where I felt more fulfilled and complete than now, when I am in Christ. I found my purpose, joy, satisfaction and meaning - all in Christ, and I would never trade that for anything in this world.

I believe that it is only when someone finds the truth that is Christ that they will truly discover life in its fullness, find meaning, purpose and satisfaction. This will not only help them but will also create a bright and hopeful future for generations to come.