A Disappointed Millennial Generation
Millennials were raised being given a hope that stood on a temporal foundation – one which set up our adult lives to be dependent upon the American structure of Economy, Liberty, and the American Dream. However, this structure was not a solid foundation which would continue into our adulthood.
We were raised, educated, and supported to succeed in a world that would no longer exist by the time we became adults. Economies crumbled, political systems crumbled, everything we strived to continue on failed us. Some people blame the older generation and feel a sense of betrayal; however, they only raised us as best as they could in their own understanding of the world they grew up in. I don’t believe that they purposefully set anyone up to fail, but rather failed to understand that the foundation they stood on growing up would not be there when their children became adults.
A lot of millennials feel a sense of loss, abandonment, disappointment. We burned ourselves out trying to chase the dream of our parents. We slowly realized that it became harder and harder to keep up with a crumbling system and a broken American Dream. I believe there’s still a lot of pain and disappointment in that.
The Things of This World Are a Poor Foundation
The kingdom of the world will be shaken. Leaders will fall, economies will crash, and buildings will crumble.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15-17
The truth is we can’t put our hope in this world, its systems, and its ways – we will be disappointed and suffer loss when it all washes away.
I see so many people on social media full of anger and speaking against the older generations. They feel betrayed because they expected the ones who raised them to give them a better foundation. There’s some healing that needs to happen there. There’s some forgiveness that needs to happen there. We can’t hold them to an expectation that they would know how drastically the world would change in our lifetime.
But there is also an opportunity for us to break this cycle of misplaced hope, for our generation to use the insight we’ve been given and recognize that there is only one solid foundation.
Jesus is the Rock-Solid Foundation for All Generations
When everything is stripped away, when every foundation has crumbled beneath your feet, what will you stand on with absolute security and assurance?
Jesus is the only way, truth, and life. His promises are a firm foundation. His provision will take care of your needs when you seek His kingdom.
The World’s false promises will continue. Don’t expect the world to offer Jesus as the solution, but expect to see renewed false promises and things to hope in. These are a distraction. These are a false security.
The Purpose of Our Generation – Rebuild on the Solid Foundation Alone
We’ve seen what happens when you put your faith in the things of this world, but those who are wise know to put our faith and hope in the Lord.
Our Millennial generation of believers has a unique perspective from the peak of this mountain. We see the valley of broken dreams, and the valley of God’s promise.
From here we can lead others who have come from the brokenness of disappointment and desolation, and direct them along the path to the green valley on the other side of the mountain.
When you walk with the Lord, He doesn’t disappoint. The treasure and the richness in Jesus is the most precious pearl which the wise man sold all of his possessions to obtain. There is nothing in this world which can compare to walking with the Lord.
As we look to the generations after us, may we offer them the Gospel of this new, unshakable foundation. May we break the ignorance of the generations before us, and choose not to rebuild on another weak footing, but on the Solid Rock.