What I’d Tell My Younger Self: Finding Healing Through Christ

Do you remember a time in your childhood when something so dramatic took place it changed you? Maybe it was an event, a loss, or a wound so deep that even today you can still feel its impact. If so, here’s a question worth pausing over:

With the life experience you have now, what would you say to your younger self about how to face that moment in a positive way?

When I sat down to write this blog, I prayed, “Holy Spirit, what do You want me to share with my reader today?” Then I sat quietly, waiting. At first, nothing came. But as I lingered, memories that had been buried for decades began to surface.

I remembered a season in my teenage years when a bitter root took hold in my heart. I didn’t realize it then, but that root began leading me down a path that had no good end. From age 13 until just after my 20th birthday, my life was marked by shame, guilt, and regret. It’s taken years to heal from those wounds.

Looking back now, I ask myself: How could it have been different?

At one point, my rebellion was so entrenched it would’ve taken an army battalion to break down the walls I had built. I fed off the hurts and brokenness of my peers, refusing to turn to adults for help. In my eyes, adults weren’t really interested in listening to a “whiny teenager.”

But here’s something I’ve learned since then: rebellion is often a cry for help.

As a parent, listen to and spend time with your children. It will help build trust. As a grandparent, I’ve learned that sometimes what a young person needs most is a hug, not advice. And when the time is right, sharing your own story, with all its pains, lessons, and faith, can open the door for healing conversations.

The bitter root in my story came from an angry father wrestling with his own disappointments, and a mother doing her best to raise small children. Those seeds planted early shaped my teenage years more than I realized.

But here’s the hope: God doesn’t leave us in our brokenness.

If you’re a Christian, you already know where healing begins, and that is with a relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the One who can uproot bitterness, heal wounds, and rebuild trust. And when we help the young people in our lives build that bond of trust with Him, we give them a safe place to turn when life gets overwhelming.

So let me circle back to you.

What would you say to your younger self?

And maybe even more importantly, what can you say today to the young person in your life who is struggling?

Your story, your presence, your love, and your faith might be exactly what they need to begin their own journey of healing.

Your voice is powerful. This week, take a moment to share a story, lesson, or encouragement with someone younger in your life.

I’d love to hear from you about what you’re most excited to pass on.

If this message encouraged you, forward it to someone else who might need the reminder that aging is a season of impact, not decline.

Watch a personal message from Mindi here: