Opinion/Resources/Teen Perspective 

By Teen Opinion Contributor Maggie Verdught

Photo: Deposit

Happy May! It’s crazy to believe that we’ve arrived at spring in full swing, and summer is just around the corner. With graduation parties to attend and summer preparation, life feels like it moves by very quickly in this month. May is my birthday month (I just turned sixteen!), and I always enjoy celebrating and spending time with family and friends. 

For this May article, I’d like to start a little yearly tradition! I want to share some things God has been teaching me in this season of life. Wherever you’re at in your own life, I hope that my thoughts and insight remind you of God’s truth. Let’s dive in!

Spending time with God is vital

Lately, I’ve been neglecting my Bible reading and spending time with my heavenly Father. I’ve been convicted of the truth that no matter how much I know in my head about God, that doesn’t grow or sustain a true relationship with Him. And the more I read God’s Word, the more I will grow in my love for Him and bear fruit for His glory. Now, on the flip side, when I don’t spend time with God (such as recently), I often seek after sin and my own desires. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, ESV). When I don’t spend time with God or seek after His ways in His word, I often end up in rebellion and sin. I don’t bear much fruit, and I try to “be good” on my own, rather than trusting in Jesus to work through me.

It is not bad to spend time doing other things – work, school, hobbies, activities, and achieving goals. Yet these things become an idol when we prize spending all of our time doing THAT rather than with our Creator. James 4:17 (ESV) convicts me: “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

We should desire to grow our relationship with the one who has saved us and loves us perfectly and personally! This is precisely why it is vital to spend time with God. 

Limiting screen time makes you happier 

Screen time is something that’s become a roadblock in my life lately. It sucks you in, and before you know it, you’ve watched 40 YouTube shorts without getting any homework done! I’m not blaming social media completely – I take full responsibility for my irresponsibility in this area of my life. But I’ve noticed that (of course) when I limit screen time for myself, I am so much happier and enjoy life more! Also, the type or quality of screen time matters as well. It is not as good for your brain to scroll through shorts/reels/Tiktoks as it is to watch a full video and learn something new.

One of the ways I’m seeking to do better in this area is by furthering my goal of learning Spanish by watching a 20-30 minute YouTube vlog in Spanish when possible. While the vlog is entertaining, I’m still doing important listening practice so that I can achieve my goal! If you’re like me and you struggle with screen time addiction, I highly recommend putting some protections like this in place. 

It’s not always about what you’re doing, but why

This is another lesson I’ve been reminding myself of lately; it is pertinent to any and every season of one’s life, too! Sometimes I think about all the activities and things that I do and remind myself WHY I do them. If you don’t have a reason for doing something, then motivation will be lost, because you don’t have anything driving better results and progress. Geometry is a great example of this (a subject I don’t like at all). I would never have the motivation to work on those skills if it weren’t for the fact that my grade will drop if I don’t try! Remembering one’s purpose and “why” for living life keeps us going. We know that we do not live for ourselves, but for Christ. He lives in us, and this life is simply an opportunity to get to know Him better and share Him with others before we meet Him and spend eternity together with Him. 

Time goes by quickly; it’s important to be present

This little lesson punches particularly hard in the month of May, as graduations and celebrations remind us that life moves by quickly. It is bittersweet to see one’s child go off on their own into adulthood. Sadly, childhood is fleeting and does not last forever. Nothing does. That is why it is so important to be present. When one looks at life through a big-picture perspective, it becomes clear what truly matters. Being present in everyday moments is critical to long-term contentment; in doing so, one will be happier, more fulfilled, and grateful. Ecclesiastes 3:1 comes to mind: “For everything there is a season, and time for every matter under heaven:” (ESV). How true this is!

In life, God gives us seasons to walk through; our job is to be ready to share the Gospel and glorify Him in all things. Being present is one way that we can glorify God– not worrying about tomorrow, but enjoying and experiencing the opportunities that are right in front of us.

Summary

My hope and prayer is that this article encourages you, and reminds you of some important ideas to keep in mind as you move through life. Many blessings, and may you have a wonderful rest of May!

“So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

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The opinions in this article are specific to its author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the entire Counter Culture Mom team. 

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Maggie VerDught is a high school student who enjoys learning about culture, news, and politics.

She is passionate about sharing the truth, especially with her generation. Maggie loves to run, read, and write poetry in her spare time.

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