Being a teenager is tough regardless of what century or decade you live in. Being a teenager is a time of finding out who you are and what you want to do. Along with this comes pressure. Pressure comes in many forms and from many places; it could come from your parents, school, or peers. As teenagers, peer pressure in particular is a very common issue. Exploring what God wants you to do in life is hard enough as it is, now there is added strain coming from our fellow classmates and friends. This pressure can cause us to avoid doing the things we possibly love the most because we are too wrapped up in what others think. Fortunately, we aren’t the first people to deal with this problem.
To some degree, I have always been focused on what my peers think of me. When I started my blog and even as I start my podcast, a part of me is concerned about what other teens will think of it. I think we all deal with a level of self consciousness from time to time, especially in a world where getting ‘roasted’ is more common than receiving a compliment. This got me wondering how the people before us dealt with the pressure around them and followed through on their desires even if it wasn’t the most popular idea. I want to be able to have the self-confidence and trust in God’s plan that these people did. This is why I’m doing a blog series looking into the lives of those who clung to God and withstood the waves of pressure threatening to distort their view of God’s calling for them. We have a great opportunity to learn from the people who relied on God when the world was caving in so that we, ourselves, can withstand the pressure.
I look forward to reading further!