Dear Younger Me is the name of a song by the group Mercy Me. I enjoy this song and listen to it often. Recently, I listened intently for the first time in a long time. These are the lyrics that jumped out at me:
Dear younger me
I cannot decide
Do I give some speech about how to get the most out of your life
Or do I go deep
And try to change
The choices that you’ll make cuz they’re choices that made me
Even though I love this crazy life
Sometimes I wish it was a smoother ride
Dear younger me, dear younger me
The singer wonders what he would tell himself if he could go back to meet his younger self. Would he warn himself of dangers so he could avoid them?
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
As I contemplated the words of the song, I thought over the trails of my life. Boy, would it be wonderful to avoid some of those difficulties. I would tell myself not to have three children so that I could prevent the heartache from the loss of my youngest child, William. I would hope to escape all those years of depression and sadness that still pop up from time to time. My life could be so much better if I could warn my younger self. The possibilities make me smile to myself.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
After some time passes, I realize that all those hardships in my life made me who I am today. Without the loss of my son, I would not have developed the desire to help other children. Then my ministry to orphans would not exist. I would not write my book on the adventures on the mission field, and I would not blog. My heart longs to undo the death of my son, but that event changed me into a new person. God is making me into the person He wants me to be and using everything in my life to shape me.
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
The songwriter began to understand this idea also. In the final verse of the song, he explains it this way:
Every mountain every valley
Thru each heartache you will see
Every moment brings you closer
To who you were meant to be
Dear younger me, dear younger me
God does not produce our griefs, but He does use them to grow us into the person He needs. We have the choice to remain locked in the past with regret and anger over our circumstances. Or we can allow the problems of life to shape us and bring us closer to God.
[bctt tweet=”We can allow the problems of life to shape us and bring us closer to God.”]
Dear younger me, relax and trust God with everything. He will make all things whole in His time. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
[bctt tweet=”Dear younger me, relax and trust God with everything.”]
Blessings,
Yvonne, Blogger, speaker, and author
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Additional Resources: