HOW TO RUIN YOUR YOUTH

by esther phinias | 29 January 2022 08:46 pm01

Here are some foolproof ways to destroy your youth quickly — if that’s your goal. This might sound ironic, but it’s a stark warning wrapped in satire. The Bible offers wisdom on how not to live, and here we see the opposite of godly living.

1. Surround Yourself with Negative Influences

Choose friends who pull you down rather than lift you up. The Bible warns us about the company we keep:

“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV)

Spending time with “troublemakers,” immoral people, and those who don’t fear God sets you on a path away from blessing. Psalm 1:1 (NIV) states:

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.

God calls us to seek friendship and fellowship with those who encourage righteousness and holiness (Hebrews 10:24-25).

2. Reject God and Disobey His Word

Many young people seek to honor God by following His Word, as Psalm 119:9 (NIV) says:

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.

But if you choose to reject God’s commands and live in rebellion, you cut yourself off from the source of true life and purpose. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) teaches:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Ignoring God’s Word leads to spiritual destruction and confusion.

3. Do Whatever You Feel Like Doing

Living by your feelings or impulses, rather than by God’s guidance, is a recipe for chaos. Ecclesiastes 9:8-10 (NIV) encourages enjoying life, but it is framed within the context of fearing God and living wisely:

Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love… whatever you do, do well… for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in the grave.

Yet without God’s wisdom (James 1:5), giving in to every whim leads to ruin. Galatians 5:19-21 lists the “acts of the flesh,” which result in destruction. Freedom in Christ is not a license to sin but a call to live righteously (Galatians 5:13).

4. Think You’re Better Than Everyone Else

Pride is a dangerous sin that blinds us from our need for God. Proverbs 16:18 (NIV) warns:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Thinking you are superior isolates you from wisdom and correction. Ecclesiastes 12:12 (NIV) says:

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

This is a caution to be humble and open to wisdom rather than arrogant and dismissive.

Jesus teaches humility in Matthew 23:12 (NIV):

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

5. Waste Time Because You Think You Have Plenty

Youth often feel invincible and assume they have all the time in the world. Yet the Bible reminds us that life is fleeting and time is precious. Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV) instructs:

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Proverbs 27:1 (NIV) also warns:

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Using your time wisely means investing in God’s work, building character, and preparing for eternity—not wasting it on fleeting pleasures.

Final Encouragement

If you follow the above “advice,” failure is inevitable — spiritually, emotionally, and even physically. But God’s Word offers hope for those who repent and choose the right path:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

Please share this message — whether as a warning or encouragement — so others can choose the path of life and not destruction.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/01/29/how-to-ruin-your-youth/