Can You Give Me One Reason to Keep on Living? A Generation Z’s Search for Meaning Amidst Despair

In Wisconsin, a teenager posed a haunting question: “Can you give me one reason I should want to keep living?” This inquiry at a biblical worldview training conference underscores a growing crisis among American youth.

The event, featuring internet personality Charlie Kirk alongside other speakers, aimed to educate around 200 teens on the importance of God’s Word and Christian civic involvement. Yet, the gravity of the teen’s question transcended these topics, cutting to the heart of life’s purpose.

This teenager’s plight is far from unique. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 10% of high school students have attempted suicide in the past year. At another camp in Georgia, a 16-year-old girl confided,

“Please pray for me. I stay so depressed.” The teens around her nodded silently, sharing in the weight of her despair. Once a time of optimism, youth today is increasingly overshadowed by fear, anxiety, and depression.

These young people are searching—spiritually hungry and eager for something to fill the void in their lives. Across camps and conferences nationwide, teenagers with little to no church background are seeking answers about God, Jesus, and the purpose of their existence. Even older adults are not immune to this existential search, grappling with the same deep questions.

The pandemic has only exacerbated this crisis. Since COVID-19, feelings of hopelessness and major depressive episodes among American teens have surged by 150%.

Despite living in one of the world’s wealthiest nations, nearly 60% of adolescents feel stressed and helpless about their future.

While professional mental health care is crucial when dealing with physiological issues, there remains a spiritual void that medicine alone cannot fill. The teachings of the Bible offer a different kind of hope, grounded in the love of Jesus Christ.

John 16:14 states, “Ask, and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

This message speaks to those burdened by anxiety, offering them a path to peace and clarity in a world fraught with uncertainty.

This summer, at camps across the United States, many teens have made commitments to Christ, finding in Him a reason to keep living. Scholar J.I. Packer once noted that Christian hope is not mere optimism but the firm belief that “the best is yet to come.” This message resonates deeply with American youth—and people of all ages—who desperately need to hear it.

In a time when despair seems omnipresent, the church holds the mandate to share this truth. Isaiah 26:3 reassures believers, saying, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.” For those willing to believe, Jesus is just a prayer away, offering a lifeline during life’s storms.