Teenagers face lots of obstacles when they try to live the right way.
Peer pressure can become a big problem, mostly at school. Even Christian friends, who should know better, can trip you up. So what should you do?
Don't let loneliness rob you of developing a strong Christian lifestyle. Many teens drift into harmful habits and relationships because they have difficulty finding Christian friends who are really making a serious effort for God. But it doesn't make sense to engage in wrong behavior simply because you can't find someone to do right things with.
Does the influence of the world make it harder to do the right thing? It certainly does not make it easier. What do you think God is telling us when He says we are to keep ourselves "unstained [or, uncontaminated] by the world" (James 1:27)? Is the world dirty? Does it have some kind of disease? Can we really catch something from it?
Some teenagers at school (your peers) will be quick to put you down if you behave badly, maybe losing your temper and cursing or something that goes against your profession of being a Christian. So, you are human & You will come across people who say things like, "Huh! And you're supposed to be a Christian."
Following Christ isn't easy - especially in the teen years. People who aren't Christians usually don't know what they're talking about. They might call you a goody-goody because you are trying to live the right way. Don't let it bother you and politely ignore them.
And what about the world? Is the world your friend or your enemy? What does the Bible say? Read carefully Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:1-3, James 4:4, and 1st John 2:15-17. Discuss these verses at length with a mature Christian and then ask yourself if you are influenced by the way the godless world around you behaves and thinks.
The media world manipulates the mind quite easily until you're comfortable with the lifestyles and undisciplined behavior of celebrities. It's easier to do the right thing if you're cautious about the world of entertainment and the influence of media. Be careful what you read and be very careful about what you watch. Social-media, Facebook, Twitter, television, radio, books, magazines, videos and the vast Internet entertain and share all sorts of unwholesome content with the public. Generally speaking, the worldwide web is not a good thing to engage in surfing without guidance. The content of the WWW communicates its own godless world-view which is for the most part unacceptable to Christians.
The entertainment and information world is never interested in God's laws or what He wants for His people. In fact the media is part of the world's corrupt system. Research shows that the average teenager sees 9,230 acts of sex or innuendos encouraging sexual involvement a year [and] the average household sees between 70 and 90 television commercials per day.
Put any secular program or website you like to the test and see for yourself. Is it in tune with God's Word and His counsel? Maybe we should all think again (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:17-24) about what place the world and its lures have in our lives (1st John 2:15 -17).
Remember: all the alternatives to living “God's way” are bad news. They do not work. This is an obvious truth many teenagers overlook. Ask yourself this: Are you strong enough to resist the world's influence? God is real and if you trust Him He will strengthen you and lift you up. Have faith in God.
Don't be discouraged if you are insulted or made fun of because of your faith in God and the way you live. Christ was mocked too. He said: "What happiness will be yours when people blame you and ill-treat you and say all kinds of slanderous things against you for My sake! Be glad then, yes be tremendously glad - for your reward in Heaven is magnificent" (Matthew 5:12).
Don't be ashamed of Christ. Dare to be different!
