Different Perspectives

I graduated from both a Christian high school and university. It can be isolating at times when you are surrounded by a majority of people who grew up in a family full of generations who grew up Christian. I felt this more when I was younger than now since I’ve become accustomed to being in the environment. Even now I work at the same religious university that I graduated from.

It was when someone recently said that one of the reasons that the world keeps getting worse is that the current generation doesn’t pray as often as older generations did. Sometimes when people from older generations compare me or my generation to theirs it makes me evaluate things. Maybe for some people, my age, it’s different, but I come from older parents when they had me. Some people I know who are in their forties have parents up to a decade or so younger than my parents. My grandparents were from the same generation as the person who brought up prayer’s grandparents were. My grandparents were not praying all day every day like those around me’s parents and grandparents.

I wholeheartedly believe in the power of prayer and that the current generation may lack in prayer compared to older generations. I am not denying that. Your perspective on that is different when you come from a family that had a range of beliefs. My grandfather was an atheist who tried to marry his daughter.

I was able to witness first and secondhand life going decades and decades back with a world that is similar to now. Where to some it just keeps getting worse and it needs more God (which you can’t have too much God).

Both perspectives are okay and needed.

It has taken me quite a bit to fully love God. When you come from a history that I do in ways makes God that much stronger and amazing. You witness so much of the godless parts of the world, which allows you to then see how great God is. If you can get to that place with God. It can be hard to believe in God, let alone trust Him when you see nothing but the effects of sin.

I am glad that there are people who get to grow up in a family full of prayer and to have that go back generations. I agree my generation’s view on God and religion is different than generations before. We need both kinds of people and everyone between. The person who brought up prayer, I love truly, and I am glad they shared their views and I got to listen. My perspective is also needed. I am glad I get to share mine, because some people may relate to my experience better than someone who comes from generations of Christians. If I help someone see the goodness of God, then I’ve done my job.

“Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future, but to shape it. To channel our destiny in humane directions and to ease the trauma of transition.”
Alvin Toffler