Pursuing a Heart of Wisdom: Counseling Teenagers Biblically

A healthy body. A strong mind. A good academic record. Success in every extra-curricular activity. A bright future. Out of all the qualities and successes adults desire to see in the lives of teens, a wise and understanding heart should at the top of the list. Grounded in the fear of the Lord, godly wisdom is essential to navigate the minefield of the teenage years. Far too often, it is assumed by many that adolescents are destined to be foolish-hopefully, outgrowing such foolishness by adulthood. Sadly, many teens are left to themselves during these years, dealing with the temptations and the struggles of their hearts and minds all on their own. Yet, all through the Book of Proverbs, young people are taught to gain wisdom through listening to and obeying their parents and other wise adults. If teenagers are to listen and learn wisdom, then parents and other mature adults are to speak wisdom and live wisely before them! To put it in today’s terms, all teens need Biblical counseling in order to pursue a heart of wisdom-and God calls parents and youth ministry leaders to offer them Biblical counsel