Peer pressure and temptation

[jefgreen]

Alright, so my friend invited me to come over his house and get high. I knew that I should have stayed home, but temptation got the better of me. Now, I was completely fine with doing this at his house; however, he wanted me and a few other guys to hop in the car and go see a movie later on. Of course, I was fine with this notion as well (this was much later on), except for the fact that everyone was lighting up in the car, before the film, in the middle of a rather empty parking lot. To keep my anecdote brief, I basically bailed out at that point.

I have time to complete my studies this weekend, and am completely fine this morning. The acts which were committed aren't really the problem here -- it's the fact that my friend put me in legal danger last night and could've cared less if we were all caught. After coming home last night, I spent some quiet time repenting; however, I feel as though my prayers will fall on deaf ears because, at many points yesterday, I could have simply left.

 

[Pard]

I don't see how it's anymore your friend's fault than it is your own fault.

Perhaps you should first understand that it is wrong as it sounds to me like you don't really see any issue with your actions except for the use of illegal narcotics in public (which is no more illegal than in the privacy of your own home).

 

[jefgreen]

I don't see how it's anymore your friend's fault than it is your own fault.

Perhaps you should first understand that it is wrong as it sounds to me like you don't really see any issue with your actions except for the use of illegal narcotics in public (which is no more illegal than in the privacy of your own home).

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean.

edit: I understand why certain actions are "wrong," if that's what you meant.

 

[Pard]

Well it appears (and please correct me if I am wrong) that you are OK with getting high on illegal substances so long as it happens behind closed doors. Moor over it seems that you are not really concerned about your own personal use of illegal drugs so much as you are concerned about being caught using illegal drugs.

Don't you see how this is a problem in God's eyes? This is what I am getting out. It's good that you decided to bail when you did but you shouldn't have done it in the first place and it sounds like you are not concerned with doing drugs but with doing them in plan sight.

My other point is that you are just as responsible as your friend if not more so for your own legal livelihood. It's not right to blame your friend.

Just trying to help you figure out why it is that God appears to be tuning you out.

 

[jefgreen]

Well it appears (and please correct me if I am wrong) that you are OK with getting high on illegal substances so long as it happens behind closed doors. Moor over it seems that you are not really concerned about your own personal use of illegal drugs so much as you are concerned about being caught using illegal drugs.

Don't you see how this is a problem in God's eyes? This is what I am getting out. It's good that you decided to bail when you did but you shouldn't have done it in the first place and it sounds like you are not concerned with doing drugs but with doing them in plan sight.

My other point is that you are just as responsible as your friend if not more so for your own legal livelihood. It's not right to blame your friend.

Just trying to help you figure out why it is that God appears to be tuning you out.

In this particular instance, my answer to the first paragraph would be yes. I am perfectly okay with getting high on weed (and weed only -- you used "substance(s)" in your post) in private. The reason I am not okay with doing the same in public is simply because the police do not care -- they will arrest you just for possession. Unfortunately, smoking marijuana, a psychoactive substance, will ultimately lead to a high and some impaired judgment -- this is my second reason as to why I left. I had no idea we were going to do this and then drive a couple of hours later. While any kind of high would have worn off by then, I'm really not sure, because I hardly do this, and I am NOT cool with putting other people in potential danger. Look, I know I should've left earlier, but there really is nothing wrong with doing this in someone's living room -- you're not harming anyone.

If God is tuning me out, it's because he already gave me the strength to avoid all of this. I'm just mad that my friends were going to do this in public and drive later without telling me at all. Think of it like drinking alcohol -- there's nothing wrong with the act of drinking itself, but there are numerous avenues to danger for yourself and others when you decide to operate a vehicle, say. The way you word your post makes it sound like I would be okay with doing the latter, too, as long as I didn't get caught. This is, frankly, not true at all. Bullying little children isn't illegal, but there is potential for harm. I refuse to commit any act that causes any form of harm to anyone.

 

[Pard]

You didn't specify that you were against it in that particular respect because of the impairment issues with driving. That being known I'm more than happy to revoke that statement.

Government is God's tool on Earth. If our government has outlawed the use of cannabis (I didn't specify before because I didn't know I assumed but wasn't going to make the jump) then God would frown upon your use of it. You may disagree with it but that law is not one of the ones God would allow you to break (and there are ones He'd be fine with breaking because they go against His Word). My point was God may be angry and disappointed in you for breaking such a simple law to keep (because if marijuana is truly "nonaddictive" than it shouldn't be difficult at all to simple stop using it for God's sake).

I'm just trying to show you that:

I know I should've left earlier

Is not enough for God because truly the only thing God would wish is that you never even went.

Trust me when I do things God doesn't like and I repeat them over and over I feel the way you do. He puts you on the back burner (so to speak) and lets His flame within you grow dim. He does this because He knows that you cannot live without the flame and the dimmer it grows the more you long for it. Eventually you will realize how something you deem as "minor" still hurts God greatly and you will come back from that dark place you are headed towards. I've never had an issue with illegal things (such as cannabis) however I know what way you are down.

And my criminal justice side of me (I am a CJ major in college) wants to quickly point out that your use of cannabis still hurts others even when done in your own house because those drugs are illegal and blood was shed in transferring that drug from where it was grown to your hands.

 

[jefgreen]

You didn't specify that you were against it in that particular respect because of the impairment issues with driving. That being known I'm more than happy to revoke that statement.

Government is God's tool on Earth. If our government has outlawed the use of cannabis (I didn't specify before because I didn't know I assumed but wasn't going to make the jump) then God would frown upon your use of it. You may disagree with it but that law is not one of the ones God would allow you to break (and there are ones He'd be fine with breaking because they go against His Word). My point was God may be angry and disappointed in you for breaking such a simple law to keep (because if marijuana is truly "nonaddictive" than it shouldn't be difficult at all to simple stop using it for God's sake).

I'm just trying to show you that:

Is not enough for God because truly the only thing God would wish is that you never even went.

Trust me when I do things God doesn't like and I repeat them over and over I feel the way you do. He puts you on the back burner (so to speak) and lets His flame within you grow dim. He does this because He knows that you cannot live without the flame and the dimmer it grows the more you long for it. Eventually you will realize how something you deem as "minor" still hurts God greatly and you will come back from that dark place you are headed towards. I've never had an issue with illegal things (such as cannabis) however I know what way you are down.

And my criminal justice side of me (I am a CJ major in college) wants to quickly point out that your use of cannabis still hurts others even when done in your own house because those drugs are illegal and blood was shed in transferring that drug from where it was grown to your hands.

I see what you're trying to say now. Moving forward, I think I just need to make sure that I don't put myself in situations such as these again. Thanks for your help

 

[Pard]

Anytime.

And remember that God isn't a probation officer... He respects your struggle and the progress you make. He knows we can regress and that it is often part of our growth. Just don't abuse that fact and you'll be good to go!

Can you surround yourself with brothers and sisters in Christ? Accountability from others goes a long way to finding peace and ultimate surrender with God.

 

[jefgreen]

There aren't a lot of Christians around me, unfortunately, but I have a close cousin who I'm accountability partners with.

 

[Pard]

There aren't a lot of Christians around me, unfortunately, but I have a close cousin who I'm accountability partners with.

That's good. Any good churches? They don't have to be of your denomination to be candidates. I go to a Baptist church for fellowship and I'm Pentecostal. You'd be surprised if you start poking your nose around. You often find Christians in the oddest places

 

[jefgreen]

I was raised catholic, but consider myself to be non-denominational. The only church I'm familiar with is the catholic one, which I haven't been to in several years. I'll have to do some research.

 

[Isreal]

I want to say this: I smoked weed for 2 years of my life but during those two years I was not truly a follower of Christ. Ask yourself what it means to be a true follower of Christ. Here's a verse I'm sure you've read but this really helped me to quit and to commit all the way:
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith." 1 Peter 5:8-9.