If you know me, you know that I say, “God is good!” all the time. That’s my constant prayer in life, and saying it (and thinking it) keeps me focused on the truth that God is always good.
Recently, I’ve had a few people remark – good and bad – about my infamous saying, “God is good!” One person asked how I stay so positive all the time… another commented on how refreshing it was that I was always so positive. Another person (who happens to be a fellow Christian) told me that it was “annoying” and they wished that I would stop saying, “God is good.”
Yikes. Ok. Well…
Like everyone else, I have my good days and my bad days – but, through it all, God has always been good to me. He has never let me down. Sure, there are times when things don’t turn out how I want them to or I’d prefer life to turn out another way, but God always seems to work things out for the better.
Truth is – I’ve come through some really traumatic events in my life, and throughout it all – God has never left me.
I strive to find hope in all things and focus on the things that are most important. This trait has really become a defining characteristic of the millennial generation.
Young adults born after 1980 are known as Generation Y or the millennial generation. We are the most educated generation in U.S. history and we are one of the largest generations. The world is our oyster. Or well, it could be.
As much as we are the most educated generation, and one of the largest, we are hindered by the recession, the dwindling job market, many of us are unemployed, and our debt is outrageous. We should be on top of the world, but we’re not.
Instead of being angry, frustrated, or complaining, the millennial generation is focused on being happy and hopeful for the future. I would argue that this is one of our strong suits – we’re more hopeful than any other generation in the past.
But, why is this generation so full of hope in a world that is so dark?
The New York Times ran a great article a week ago entitled “Millennial Searchers”. It’s about how my generation is finding hope in their search for meaning. The article said,
“Chastened by these tough economic times, today’s young adults have been forced to rethink success so that it’s less about material prosperity and more about something else.”
And that something else is happiness. We all just want to be happy, and we know that if we focus on finding happiness, meaning will follow – and vice versa. The article continued,
“Many researchers believe that millennials are focusing more on happiness than prior generations, and that the younger ones in that age cohort are doing so even more than the older ones who did not take the brunt of the recession.”
And even deeper than happiness… this generation is on a search for purpose. We want to live a happy and full life – a life that has meaning.
“People who lead meaningful lives feel connected to others, to work, to a life purpose, and to the world itself. There is no one meaning of life, but rather, many sources of meaning that we all experience day to day, moment to moment, in the form of these connections.”
Millennials are being forced to reconsider what success means and what makes life worth living. People who lead meaningful lives are focused on the little things, on finding happiness, and on their relationships. The millennial generation is focused on living a life that is meaningful, and we are a better generation because of it.
Viktor Frankl wrote in his classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
The hope that the millennial generation has is what will save them. They are choosing the path of righteousness and joy, and God is blessing every moment of the journey.
The struggle of life is real, but with hope – every struggle will be overcome.
Have faith. Have hope. And always remember, “God is good!”