When Noah was entrusted with the task of announcing the end of the world and building an ark for the salvation of  human kind, he was humiliated, persecuted and mistreated by “the crowd”. Earthly speaking, fitting in will always be better than not fitting in. However, fitting in- at least in humanly terms- will only give you a false idea of acceptance and popularity. It’s all a fading illusion.

The truth is that the crowd’s opinion isn’t always going to coincide with what is right. However, the right thing is always going to be the right choice. Even when the crowd doesn’t agree.

If you find that peer pressure is something that is too heavy to handle on your own, you’re right, it can be. So today I’d like to share with you 4 ways in which you can overcome peer pressure.

1. Avoid evil, anything that looks like it, sounds like it and smells like it– 1 Thessalonians 5:22
When it comes to sin, keep your guards up at all times!
This is the number one step to overcome temptation and rise above negative peer pressure. Unlike Eve, when Joseph encountered temptation, he didn’t stay around to play and flirt with sin. Instead, he ran. -Genesis 39:12

2. Avoid bad company, seek good company instead– Proverbs 13:20
Allowing yourself to be influenced by others to some extent is not necessarily a bad thing. If you surround yourself by friends that influence you to be more diligent in your studies, to be kinder, to eat healthier, and to be a better person all around, then you are winning at life!
When Daniel and his friends got dragged to a foreign country as servants, their faithfulness to God was tested several times, and in different ways.
I can’t imagine facing such kind of spiritual tests during such a vulnerable point in life without a good circle of friends to help me through. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 talks about the importance of having a healthy support system. So get you some friends like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!

3. Stop caring about what others think of you– Proverbs 29:25
Seriously, stop! Noah and his family were not the most popular in town, John the Baptist was not the most popular either, Jesus Himself, was not the most popular among the religious leaders of his time. The one thing they all had in common was that their main concern was not human approval, but the approval of God. – 1 Thessalonians 2:4

4. Cling to God-James 4:7
Last but most importantly, cling to God. It is pretty much useless to learn how to skillfully avoid evil, surround yourself with healthy company, and stop caring about what others think of you if you don’t learn how to cling to God. Because, no matter how much you avoid evil, if you are not hanging on to God, sooner or later sin will beat you up. – 2 Kings 18:6

Any time you feel like peer pressure is more than you can handle, just remember that as long as you are holding on tight to your Heavenly Father’s hand, no amount of peer pressure will be enough to crack you up.

Galatians 6:9 says:

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

You and God are the majority.

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