Who Are You Under Pressure?

One of the things that God has been dealing with me lately is "Who am I under pressure?"

The other day I was reading a business book( yes, I know, I can't believe it either!) and it is in that book that I read a story that made me think. I cannot remember which book was it, maybe Dave Ramsey's book of Financial Peace, but it is a story about a young man growing big with a company and just before he was about to get promoted by his boss, they went out to eat. That young man did something though that cost him not only his promotion, but his job.As they were going through the line, his boss noticed that the young man stole a piece of butter under his sleeve, so he doesn't have to pay for it. That made his boss withold the promotion and also fire him because the boss knew that if he did that, then under pressure he will do worse.

Jesus put it this way, " He who is faithful in little, will be faithful in the big things, too".

Suddenly a desire to confess my sins came over me because I realized that so many times I had given in under pressure, a little bit here and a little bit there. I am just being honest with you and I asked God to change me. I thought I was stronger and maybe I used to be, but when life is hard, we are more likely to crumble under pressure.

For example, one of the things that show we crumble is that although we know what we believe about divorce and remarriage, when a couple who has been in adultery and they so " marry" , although their spouses are still living, we will not speak up, but agree with their actions and even call them "husband and wife", when deep inside we know it is nothing but adultery.

Another way we change under pressure is by not keeping our word. I cannot emphasize enough what God has thought me about that just this year. He takes our word seriously. You know I used to think and even my 6 year old showed signs of this, that only when you add "I promise" to something, then you are bound to keep your word. That is not what the apostle James said. He said and Jesus Himself while on Earth said, "let your yes be yes and no be no." In fact Jesus said that anything else we add to this comes from the evil one, from the enemy! Ouch! But we say, " I swear! I promise!" Why? Because we know or we hope that people will believe us more then. In Ecclesiastes 5 it is written that God will destroy the work of the hands of those who do not keep their word. Scary or what! Broken vows, swearing, "change" of our mind,etc. etc. ....a lot of excuses to just not keep our word. We are supposed to represent God and yet we lie so much.

You probably heard of Casting Crowns. I like that song they sing called, Slow Fade. Yes, it is a slow fade that will drift you away from the Lord. A little bit today and a little bit tomorrow and you wake up one day, way far from the ways of God. People wonder, " Wow, how did that happen?" Well, slowly. You lie today, then you will lie tomorrow; you don't keep your word today, then you will not keep your word tomorrow, and so on.

As I said, I repented and asked God to change me. I do not want to be a person that under pressure gives in; not under peer pressure, not under finanancial pressure, and not even under any health pressure.

How are you doing under pressure? Did you a sign a a paper when you got hired that you will use only the landline, but somehow you rerouted it through the computer so you can save some money, and are using Google's phone number in order to hide that you are using you cell phone, just so you can save a buck? Did you say in your heart, " Yes, but they do not know my financial hardship?" Friend, if you signed, you need to keep your word or call the company and tell them your situation and what is the best thing to do. God blesses honesty.

I know that sounds "extreme", but if you are faithful in the little things, God will entrust you with more. 2 Cor 9 says that God will bless us with enough so we can do good things persistently. He will, because He doesn't want you to do evil stuff just so you can save.

Too many of us think that God thinks like us. His ways are higher and His thoughts are, too. We cannot lower God to our level. We need to come up to His level and let Jesus live though us. He would not lie. He would not cheat. He even proved that under pressure He did not crumble. HE was faithful till the end. "Well, but Jesus did not have to pay bills". You might be surprised. He told Peter to go catch the fish to pay taxes for him and for Himself! he had taxes, therefore bills to pay. He did not compromise His devotion to Father even till death.

And, we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us!