What Youth Need: To Know Struggles Help them Grow

In this next post of this series on what youth need I will discuss how circumstances or situations help students desperately depend on God.  Hard struggles help students know that they need God for everything in life.  Struggles also remind students who God really is in their life.
Jesus expands on this topic when he discusses bearing fruit and remaining in the him in John Chapter 15.  He emphasizes daily abiding in him and remaining in his Word.  In John 15:5 Jesus says, "I am the vine and you are the branches.  If you remain in me, and I in him, you will bear much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing."  If students pray throughout their day and remain in Jesus Christ then we will bring them through the struggle that they face.  Apart from Jesus we can do nothing in life.  Jesus is the only one that can help us grow spiritually and help us through struggle we face.
In this next section, I want to focus on the results of abiding in Jesus Christ.   First, Jesus says if we surrender and abide in him then it will be done for us.  Second,  Jesus emphasizes that abiding in Jesus Christ shows that we are his disciples.  Thirdly, Jesus says that abiding in him will give us the ability to love people better.  Lastly, abiding in Jesus leads to joy in him and as a product of that Jesus is overjoyed because of our maturity in him.
Abiding in Jesus Christ in struggles shows our true love for non-Christians.  It shows our ability to love another despite the circumstances.  Jesus says when we do this, then we show that we are his friends.
Lastly, this fruit that they will bear by abiding in Jesus Christ in whatever we face in life will last throughout all of our life.  Jesus says in verse 16. you did not choose me but I choose you to bear fruit that will last.  God uses these struggles to abide in him that allow us to mature in him later into adulthood.  We do not mature into discipleship as baby Christians but we have to be patient with God's working in our lives.  Abiding and surrendering to Jesus Christ takes time.
I hope this post encourages you to depend and abide in Christ in whatever situation you may face.  God is in control and he is still working.   Jesus wants us to abide in him this week and he will conform us to his image.