Under Pressure ?

Recently our Jr. High students began a series called - "Under Pressure".  In this series we are looking at what God's word has to say about dealing with all of the pressures the students deal with today. 

At first you might wonder - what possibly could have middle school and High school students stressed out.  The truth is there are a lot of things that really stress students out in today's culture.
 


On the outside, most of them seem happy-go-lucky, but inside each student is a complex network of potentially explosive pressures. Students with a strong parental and social support system are the least likely to experience the painful effects of the pressures they face.
 

When parents become aware of the typical sources of pressure that kids face, they are better able to provide their kids encouragement and support. Here are five common pressures that students face:
 

1.      The Pressure to be Perfect.

Students repeatedly talk about their parents wanting them to be perfect, particularly in in the areas of behavior and school. No kid is perfect and when they fall short of their parents’ expectations, they feel more pressure.
 

2.      The Pressure to Succeed.

The pressure to succeed elicits the attitude that life is a constant performance. To fail is to feel stupid.  When students fail, they fear that others will reject them.

 

3.      The Pressure to Conform.

Students find it extremely uncomfortable to be different from their peers; so, they work hard to fit in and accepted by one of the subcultures on their school campus.
 

4.      The Pressure from Body Changes.

Since consistent change is part of the developing adolescent body, teenagers are in a continual state of stress over what’s happening or what’s not happening.
 

5.      The Pressure from Emotions.

Adolescence is a time of emotional development. For many students, the strength and frequency of their emotions is much like having new emotions altogether. They are often not sure where the emotions have come from, and they are equally unsure what to do with them.


Dealing with pressure is tough for anyone – but one of the first steps into handling it in the right way so to know that pressure is simply going to be part of the adolescent experience.   Learning to process pressure and stress is actually  an important part of preparing kids to face the pressures and stresses of adulthood.
 

Rather than trying to get rid of all pressure, the wise course for parents is to help students manage the pressures they face so that they do not become overwhelmed as they journey toward adulthood.

The prophet Isaiah gives us great advice reminding us about how God would have us deal with stress and pressure:

 “ ²⁸ Do you not know?  Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  ³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,  and young men stumble and fall;  

³¹ but those who hope in the Lord   will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles;     they will run and not grow weary,     they will walk and not be faint.”

-Isaiah 40:28-31