“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
- John 10:10
It is impossible to prepare yourself for every situation during your time as a student and, to be honest, you probably wouldn’t really want to. But there are definitely certain ‘pressure points’ which will crop up more often than not – especially during your first term. In these instances it’s good to know where you stand (or at least where God wants you to stand) right at the start so that you can get into good habits early on.
Have a read of some of these points and see what you think:
• Drinking: when do you stop?
Suggestions: If you find it a struggle to go out and not drink too much there are loads of practical things you can do to make it a lot easier. You could: limit how much money you take out with you, avoid buying drinks in rounds, get a friend to text you during the night to see how you’re getting on… etc etc. One of the best things you can do is show everyone you can have a great time without getting drunk. And don’t be afraid to explain why you’re not getting drunk – people are often more understanding than you’d think and it’s a great way into sharing your faith.
• Morality: avoiding unhelpful relationships, inappropriate physical interaction, using pornography.
Suggestions: For a more in-depth discussion the the separate ‘Relationships’ section (coming soon..). For now: think about how you dress, be smart about who you spend your time with and when – i.e. not alone at night with someone you fancy, go easy on the alcohol, leave if unhelpful programmes/films/images are being looked at. In all things don’t be afraid to do a Joseph and just do a runner! (Genesis 39:12)
• Language: swearing, rude jokes, innuendo, sarcasm, gossip etc
Suggestions: It can be so tempting to try and impress people by trying to get a cheap laugh but the Bible tells us that we need to be ever so careful about how we use our tongue – have a look at James 3 or Proverbs for some straight-talking advice. More often that not these things just become habits, so the best way to stop is to just stop! You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes both to yourself and those around you. But in terms of practical things you could try choosing to be positive where it’s easier to be negative, or maybe you could try learning some clean and funny jokes. Or constantly ask yourself: ‘would I say this to Jesus?’
• Finance: being wise with your money, dealing with debt.
Suggestions: see separate ‘Money, Money, Money’ section.
• Time: making the most of it
Suggestions: spend good daily time with God, set goals for your day/week, give your laptop to a friend for a while if it is taking up too much time, limit how much time you spend on facebook (or equivalent), prioritise your day.
The key things in all of these points is ACCOUNTABILITY. It’s so much easier to live God’s way when we do it as a team, with close friends encouraging us and challenging us in areas of weakness. The best way to get this is to get involved with a Lifegroup/small group.
The great thing is all of this stuff isn’t just God’s way of ruining your life or spoiling your fun – he knows us better than we know ourselves and Jesus promised that those who followed him would have life to its fullest. That sounds good enough for me!!
“You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
- Psalm 16:11
