Why is it so hard to follow Christ when you are a teen?
Sadly, I have realized in the couple of years that I have been a teen it is extremely hard to stay focused on Christ. There are so many distractions and temptations. It is hard to battle back.
There is social media, peer pressure of so many different kinds (I could go on about that for forever), events to attend, status to keep up, and more! The devil has gotten really good at his job of deceiving us. We are constantly being tempted and pulled away from our Maker.
I can only speak for myself but I am sure you struggle with some of the same things I struggle with.
One temptation that I struggle with a lot is social media. It is a HUGE time sucker. I get this gut feeling that I need to check my Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter non-stop. It is a really bad habit that I have created.
Another bad habit/temptation that I have an issue with is not spending time with our Savior first thing in the morning. It is the best time to spend time with Him too because the whole rest of your day will be blessed when you spend just a few precious moments with Him when you wake up.
I know I have these bad habits yet when I am tempted I continue to make the same mistakes.
There are so many struggles, so how can we as teenagers combat them?
Well, let’s brainstorm.
One of the best combats to the devil is saying “NO”. If you can learn to say no you will be better off in every aspect of life. The devil can use almost anything to trick you into being tempted, so if you can learn to say no then you can defeat the devil and his temptations.
But saying no is easier said than done. Trust me, I know dear friend. All too often I am tempted to go on my phone and check my social media instead of sitting in the wonderful presence of Our Savior.
All too often I am caught guilty of arguing with my brothers instead of lovingly working the problem out as Jesus would.
The devil is very good at his game. Do not forget that. Be cautious.
Another way you can combat the devil is through prayer. We are commanded to pray without ceasing. In 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5, verses 16-18, the Bible states, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Not only are we commanded to pray, we are blessed by praying. God has given is this tool and we NEED to use it.
Recap time! One, learn how to say No when you need to. Two, Pray.
It is as simple as that! I will be praying for you, dear friend. No not lose courage. Start living today for Jesus and then repeat tomorrow.
I hope you are encouraged! Leave a comment below if you will take a challenge to learn how to say NO to the devil and pray more often.
By His Grace,
~Bella
Bella Kiefer
I’m a blogger at Life According to Bella , YouTuber, social media junky, daughter to the best parents, sister to three amazing and sometimes annoying brothers, and most importantly, a daughter of the One True King, the God of the universe. My Heavenly Father, who saved me from all of my sins and continues to do so every single day, is the most important factor in my life. My greatest passion is living my life for the One who loves me the most, that being my Savior, Jesus.
Just say No! Great article. Thanks for being transparent and sharing.