Between 7:40 and 8:12 am every school day, I am driving back and forth to my son’s bus stop. Due to the fact the Lord allowed me to receive three speeding tickets a year after He warned me to slow down (obviously I didn’t listen L ) I have rarely gone much over the limit. He convicted me even further- to simply obey, and since I try to be better at that now, I’ve been keeping my speeds to the posted limits. You can imagine I frustrate a lot of people who rush to work in the morning, but I always try to stay on the right side so they can pass me.
Still, it seems like many of them try ‘pushing’ me as I’m driving. Do they think if they tail me close enough that I’ll speed up? Often, they get far too close for comfort which makes me incredibly uncomfortable as long as they are there. In the past my own frustration may have caused me to go faster, but now I just ‘stand my ground’ and do what God wants me to. If it means I need to pull of temporarily to let a line up of cars go by before they get frustrated, then that’s what I do. No one can pressure me to break my convictions, only I can make that decision.
The way I see it, there are always three sources of ‘pressure to do wrong’ in our lives every day we live and breathe. The first ‘pushy driver’ is ourselves. We want. We desire. We take what we want. This is what living in the flesh after the pleasures of this life is all about. “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Rom 8:13 ) I’ve always put more pressure on myself than others because they are not me and have their own lives to deal with, but I must deal with mine, and I don’t always do it well, so I try harder and harder, fail, and fall, and eventually realized it is ALL much easier with God’s help!
The second ‘pushy driver’ is the enemy. The "prince of the power of the air" (Eph. 2:2) who tries to snare us (2Tm. 2:26 ) in his trap, seeks to devour us (1Pt. 5:8) because he wants to steal, kill and destroy us (Jh. 10:10 ). If he thinks pressure will serve his purpose, you can bet he will use it- usually to get you to sin/ go against what God says. He will push, and push, and push until you break. But there is one greater than he- who can, and will help when you cry out to Him- Almighty God.
Evening, and morning, and at noon , will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Ps. 55:17
…If God be for us, who can be against us? Rom. 8:31
…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1Jh. 4:4
…for the battle is not yours, but God's. 2Chr. 20:15
I think the hardest ‘pushy driver’ to deal with is the third one which is… the world- meaning all the unsaved people of the earth. (Unbelievers of all kinds including those who say they are Christians, but are not) We are supposed to be living in the world but not of it (Rom. 12:2; Jh. 15:19 ). This means that although our bodies live in this world, we are not to conform: live, behave, think, act on our feelings like the world. But they push/ pressure us to be like them, believe like them, buy like them, think and feel like them, watch and listen to what they do. Why? Because it makes them feel better since they feel less conviction for the way they live.
As God’s children we must determine to stand in the onslaughts against us, and not give in to any of the pressure to conform to this world or follow anyone but God. If we truly love God then we must stand in the truth of what He wants us to live like, with the decisions that would please Him, and not worry about what others think of us. When we are being pushed/ pressured, we must ignore the discomfort and do what’s right.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1Jh. 2:15
Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2Th. 2:15
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? Ps. 118:6 also Heb. 13:6
Pushy drivers can’t make us do anything. It’s our decision!
…having done all, to stand.
Eph. 6:13