You Are Seen: Encouragement for Teens Who Struggle With Stress and AnxietySample

A note to the teen reading this

If you stumbled upon this devotional, you may be struggling to find peace in your life. Maybe you think nobody cares about you, or you’re hurting so much that you don’t know how to make it through the day. Thankfully, our God has a purpose and a plan to give you a beautiful future.

My name is Ollie, and like you, I’m a teen. Like you, I have gone through seasons of anxiety, stress, and even depression. During those times, I found myself longing for help. When life was at its lowest, my mom, Amber, pointed me to Bible verses that gave me hope in my havoc. When I shared with her about how low I was feeling, she reminded me about God’s love for me—which was life-changing in my stressed-out mental state.

Being a teenager is wonderful and amazing and hard and confusing. But we aren’t the only ones who have found themselves drowning in sorrow, confusion, and stress. In the book of Psalms, the writers lay it all out. They don’t hold back their emotions! Their honest words reveal to us that it is human to feel anxiety and stress. But the psalms also reveal that when we are redeemed by God, we must allow Him to remove those painful feelings and replace them with joy, peace, and hope.

During those times, I found myself longing for help. When life was at its lowest, my mom, Amber, pointed me to Bible verses that gave me hope in my havoc. When I shared with her about how low I was feeling, she reminded me about God’s love for me—which was life-changing in my stressed-out mental state.

You can have joy. You have a purpose. You can have peace. You are seen, my friend.

Day by day, your best life is unfolding. Hope is here! Cast anxiety and stress aside, receive God’s unfailing love, and praise Him for all He has done. Remember who you are because of who He is.

As I consistently read God’s Word, I found the answers and encouragement that I needed to battle life’s demons and satisfy my soul. Through this devotional, I want to share with you that same biblical wisdom and guidance.

Meditate on this verse today:

But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. —Psalm 42:8, NLT