From MSNBC.com

An extensive survey by The Associated Press and MTV found that people aged 13 to 24 who describe themselves as very spiritual or religious tend to be happier than those who don’t.

No surprise here to those of us who have worked with teens, or anyone who has attended church regularly for that matter.  Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are rest-less till they find their rest in you.” Restlessness is never peaceful, so for those that who try to fill “the void” with anything other than God there will never be peace. Since youth is a time of self-seeking, the period of life we fight with who we are, often jumping from one group to the next seeing where we fit in, it’s no wonder experts say it’s the most spiritually-critical time in our lives. The vast majority of people who come to the Lord do so during their teen years, because they are sensitive to who they will become.

As we get older, it’s harder and harder to change our ways. We have more than likely found something else to fill that void us, something that almost fills it completely, but not enough to take away the restlessness.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the key to life, the hope of eternal life is the key to joy, and joy is the key to happiness.