Let’s Go! Digging deeper into Day 3 of the 7-Day Prayer Challenge!

DAy 3 Challenge – Pursue Connection

1. Read the Excerpt 
   Let this content remind you that God gave you other people on purpose.
2. Meet in Person
   Turn your next phone call, or text, into real face-time and connect face to face.
3. Just Say Yes
   When someone asks you to hang-out find ways to make it happen.

LONELINESS, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY

written by Angela Lam

While heavily distracted and overstimulated, young people overlook the ache of loneliness in their hearts. Despite the ache being deep and real, they often turn to busyness or ambition, skipping all the cues for genuine connection, first with God, and second with godly community. Posting something on social media replaces a true reaching out to those around them. And massive gaming stimulation robs their mind of looking further for interaction with the Holy Spirit and the Word, leaving them disillusioned by the actual lack of their efforts and still alone.

As grown adults and leaders, we too are susceptible to the voidcovering, empty satisfaction media and other distractions offer us. It may look different for us, but we can relate to the truth that a life-giving connection can’t be made through superficial acts and outlets. And that gives us the exact direction and empathy needed to intercede for the hearts of this young generation.

Left unacknowledged and overlooked, the need for connection surpasses loneliness and can lead to depression. Comparison, seeing others’ accomplishments or level of influence online, gives an awful—sometimes deafening—sense that others are forging ahead while the observer is left behind. Loneliness is no longer a subtle burden in their hearts but is leading to depression. Hours of wasted time pass. Days of low energy and little desire slip into weeks. And thoughts of the future are replaced with the raw survival question, “Why do I even need to get out of bed?”

Anxiety creeps in, causing neurological responses of fight, flight, or freeze to surface: the fight to anxiously keep busy, distracted, and stimulated; the defensive flight to move and assume that where they are is the problem; or the imprisoning freeze of second-guessing and crippling uncertainty.

The reality of loneliness may have been, by design, a hunger to push us towards life-giving connection. And the many temptations that seem to offer relief are relatable to the temptations Jesus encountered while alone in the wilderness. It’s not written that Jesus was explicitly lonely or anxious, but after 40 days, Satan chose to tempt Jesus the way he tempts and pursues many in today’s lonely generation.

Matthew 4:1-11 reads: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”.’ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone”.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”.’ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Jesus was tempted with food, attention, power, and accomplishments. Had He surrendered to these temptations, He would have been given bread to comfort Him. He would have received incredible fame from those who witnessed His rescue by angels. He would have been given international power. And in the face of it all, Jesus chose the truth of God to overcome. Our prayer for this young generation is that the Holy Spirit would empower them, as they face loneliness, depression, and anxiety, to submit to God and to stand on His truth.

With this in mind, let’s pray that the Holy Spirit’s invitation to draw close to the Lord in their loneliness would be heard by the hearts of our young generation (Revelation 3:20). Pray that their eyes would be opened and their ears would hear His invitation to lean into God’s ever-present love and leadership over their lives (Matthew 13:16-17).

Pray that they would be awakened to the need for in-person community around them. And if there are previous hurts or conflicts, there would be reconciliation between them and their brothers and sisters in Christ (Ephesians 4:31-32). Pray that their connections with others would be fruitful in stirring greater hunger and growth in their walk with Christ (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Pray that godly counselors and pastors would be able to help disciple and guide our young generation through healing and support to overcome years of loneliness, depression, and anxiety (Proverbs 11:14,12:18). Pray for freedom to grow into their purpose and callings (1 John 5:4).

Pray that wisdom and truth would be on their lips as they step closer to the leadership that awaits them (Romans 12:6-8). As they become the next generation of pastors, missionaries, marketplace leaders, and especially mothers and fathers, may we pray that their impact and influence will further the generation after them into greater freedom and faith in Jesus Christ.

Click HERE for an audio prayer made to accompany this content.