Peer Pressure is NOT just for teens!

So many times we think of peer pressure as something only teenagers deal with. NOT so!

I recently realized how much peer pressure we are faced w/ everyday from every angle, young & old. For example, I normally avoid the mall. I usually don't have extra cash to burn so there is no point for me to enter the mall. I used to go just to walk around & window shop but would then leave feeling sad or bad about all the wonderful things I could not afford to buy. I realized that these window shopping trips left me w/ a feeling of discontentment.

Now I have taken that new found wisdom & tempered it for other things as well. Such as conversations. It is so easy for us to compare our lives to the lives of our friends & family. I am normally a pretty easy going, laid back person & wife. I try to 'roll w/ the punches' most days.

I believe God has hand-picked our children & spouses just for us to be evenly & perfectly matched w/, according to our needs & desires. Every couple has their own way of doing things & ways of relating to each other.

When hearing about 'other' couples ways of doing things, I noticed I was starting to get prideful about myself & disgruntled towards my H & the way we usually do things. The way that had been working for us, suddenly didn't seem good enough anymore. So & so's spouse does this & so & so's spouse does that.

In my heart was breeding a spirit of discontentment & ungratefulness. I realized it & checked myself quickly before it really took root. It is so important for us to temper the things we say to each other & the things we listen to from others. It is so easy for thoughts to be planted that can stir up bad attitudes.

We must keep our guard up to be aware of these trappings. Don't fall into them. Keep your armor on @ all times. Just because we are 'mature adults' does not mean that we are immune to Peer Pressure.

Busted!

Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. Prov. 20:22

This was the verse in my daily reading yesterday. I didn't think much of it.......until I remembered I had been toying w/ the idea of a minor revenge tactic. If you knew what it was you would laugh your head off because it was so petty in comparison of what it was in revenge for.

I kept thinking I somehow DESERVED to do it. Kept thinking it really wouldn't hurt anyone except for possibly cause a minor inconvenience. I was plotting & scheming, I admit.

I was justifying all the reason WHY this would be an ok thing to do. Some would even consider it humorous!

Then today I remembered THIS verse from yesterday morning.

NO denying...revenge is never OUR right nor duty.