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“Are You Feeling Pressure?”
Categories: Daily Living“Are You Feeling Pressure?”
Jarrod Jacobs
At times, when I talk with people about the Bible, some folks will say, “Don’t pressure me.” Let me begin by saying it is certainly not anyone’s intention to coerce a person into obeying the Lord. It does no spiritual good to “pressure” people into doing something that they do not wish to do. God does not force people to obey Him. He wants willing servants, not forced labor (Ex. 35:29; Isa. 1:18-19; II Cor. 8:12; I Tim. 6:17-18; I Pet. 5:2)!
Yet, pressure can be a good thing. Physically, pressure is a warning sent by the nerves to the brain that some part of the body is in stress or trauma. One feeling pressure physically will take measures to prevent further harm if this is possible. Spiritually, we feel pressure at times. If someone wishes to speak to you about the Bible, and you feel “pressure,” perhaps it is because you’re in the wrong! Instead of fighting against this, why not take steps to get yourself out of spiritual jeopardy (i.e., repent), and prevent further spiritual damage by returning to the Lord while you can (II Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7-8).
There is something to be said for pressure being applied in the right way. The apostle Paul did this with Philemon when he told him to accept Onesimus back (Phile. 8-22). Pressure was applied in the right way when Peter and the apostles told the Jews to “repent and be baptized … for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38, 40).
How will we respond to God’s pressure?
