Peer Pressure

Having being both a teenager (yep-many moons ago!) and a teacher I am very aware of what PEER PRESSURE means and it can be difficult to deal with. Hopefully this week’s Blog will both help and encourage you with handling it. Here’s a little definition for you.

We all have to deal with peer pressure but it can be particularly hard during your teenage years, when you are finding your identity, discovering your values and growing up to be young men and women of God. The key I think, to remain true to yourself and your own convictions, is knowing what your values and belief systems are. This is so important because your values and belief systems shape who you are and what you do. Do you know what they are? And are your values firm or do they change with the wind?

In Luke 6 Jesus talks about how we need to build our houses (meaning our lives) on rock (meaning God’s word) not sand. So when peer pressure comes, or any storm of life-we don’t crumble.

Another key to consider is who do you want to please most-people or God? It’s not always easy doing the right thing, so here are three points to help you.

NUMBER 1-When we feel pressure to make wrong choices, often fear can be driving us. Remember that we have an enemy (the devil) who constantly lies to us and can make situations seem far worse than they really are. Always trust God with the consequences and do the right thing. Have you thought that by doing the right thing, you are actually putting your friends first, by being a good witness and showing true love. And walking in love helps to cast out and get rid of fear.

NUMBER 2-Who are your peer groups?

Let’s think again what PEER PRESSURE is. It’s the influence exerted by a peer group, encouraging us to change our attitudes, values or behaviours in order to conform to group norms and not lose status.

This is a funny clip where Mr Bean feels pressure to dive and rather than walking away from the pressure, he gets himself into all sorts of trouble.

Your peer group is a social group whose members often have similar interests, ages and social positions. Who in your peer group is in your friendship group? This is important as your friends should really have similar values to you, because they’re the people you spend a lot of time with. In other words who are you hanging out with because they’re the ones who will influence you and the decisions you make.

Wise friends make you wise. Wise friends will exert POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE.

NUMBER 3-Finally when it comes to making choices always have this thought at the forefront of your mind and heart.

PUTTING GOD FIRST WILL EVENTUALLY GET THE BEST RESULT!

Can I encourage you to read the Book of Daniel, to find out about some teenagers who didn’t bow down to PEER PRESSURE or the culture of their day? They put God first leading to amazing results and miraculous outcomes.

Just like Daniel, God will not only reward us for our faithfulness but also the only reason he might not want us to do something, is for our own good. Listen to that inner voice within you. Remember that you are not alone when facing difficult peer pressure situations in life, God is with you.

Build your life on the rock and you can do great things for God. Have another look at the Blog on Role Models. We all have people who we look up to. Let them be the people who influence you the most, so you can do great things with your life.

THAT’S POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE AT IT’S BEST.

Song of the Blog this week is My Feet Are On the Rock-don’t be moved!

Be sure to watch this week’s Team Talk to get some more great tips on PEER PRESSURE -our presenter this week is…-HANNAH!

FRIDAY NIGHT YOUTH ONLINE-Our next Zoom meeting (Years 7 to Year 13) will be August 28^th at 7:30 pm. If you need more details regarding the Zoom invite contact the church office-hope to see you there!

VINE CC SUNDAY MORNING ONLINE Please tune into these services-we are planning to put a montage of clips of Youth online and Youth Challenges to show in a Sunday morning very soon-you may feature in a cameo!

RELENTLESS- (Sixth form age and young adults) continues to meet every other Thursday-next meeting is September 3rd.

Here’s another fun clip from Hillsong Youth-I posted Episode 5 on the Blog last week-so here’s Episode 6 of Believe Iosefa! This week features a game of EGG ROULETTE!

And introducing a new series-YOUTH CHEF!

Have a great week everyone-enjoy the last few days of your summer holidays.

Keep living for God!

Claire and the VCC Youth Team