Hang On.

Over vacation I found myself digging deep into scripture and heading strait to the Bible anytime a situation aroused. I was reminded today of the difficulties we Christians face in public settings. In this case, I'm speaking of school. I felt that I was growing so much in my spiritual life over Christmas break, and then I was thrown back into the reality of this secular world. It was a hard lesson today, that did not come without some battles. It's easy to follow all of the rules set out for us when we are not around our friends, but when I entered the doors to my public school today I was faced with the temptations that come with being a teenage girl. I am tested daily on my walk when I am offered the chance to gossip about someone who has wronged me, or make fun of the people who are "different". The thing is, we as Christians are supposed to be "different". We are to act with Christ-likeness. This is growing ever difficult. I was frustrated today taking a test and I wanted to storm out in anger and not take the test, but I decided to pray instead, and although I may have not passed the test as well as I wanted, I was able to calmly think. Dramatic situations arise all the time around us. Rumors can be heard at least once a week about each and every person, but it's the way you handle these rumors and these moments of trial that define your walk. We cannot let the people around us pull us away from the path to God. We have to stand our ground and fight for what we believe, this goes along with witnessing too. We are to be the example for Christians and for the work that the Lord has done. We sometimes feel that we are the only one going through this battle, but every Christian who knows the path that they are on, have these feelings at some point, it's up to you to find them and maybe become a support for each other to make it through with your head on straight. "It is God who arms me with strength  and makes my way perfect" Psalm 18:31. This to me explains it all. God has provided us the strength to make it through, so we will keep hanging on.