The Crises of Life

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 ESV).

We’ve all heard about the “mid-life crisis”; however, a period of time that may be more difficult to navigate occurs in one's twenties. It has been called the “quarter-life crisis.” It is most notable in today’s Millennials. Some have associated this period of life describing it as the Intimacy vs. Isolation crisis. According to these therapists it happens after establishing a personal identity in adolescence when young adults seek to form intense meaningful relationships with other people. Common symptoms of a quarter life crisis are often feelings of being "lost, scared, lonely or confused" about what steps to take in order to transition properly into adulthood. Studies have shown that unemployment and choosing a career path is a major cause for this age group to undergo stress or anxiety. Early stages of one living on their own for the first time and learning to cope without parental help can also induce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Whether it is this life crisis or another time in your journey, it can be a very challenging time. Some have suggested that these times of life are merely “halftime.” As you may know, in sports, halftime is when the teams regroup, catch their breath, go out and do better in the second half. There is a truth here in that the key to getting through a life crisis is shifting our focus from success to significance. The apostle helps us in our reading today by describing the means to accomplishing this shift is to be found in meaningful relationships. He writes: And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. These relationships are with God, family, and friends. It’s found in doing your best with the gifts and talents God has given you. It’s found in living life God’s way, with Godly character. As you navigate your journey today view this period as a time to get those things right, before the second half begins. If you’re at quarter-life, or any of the other seven periods of challenge in our lives, seek to shift your focus from success, to significance. If you do, your second half can be even better than your first.