Answers

By   •   November 17, 2011   •   Topics: ,

Q:

I went away to college a month ago, and I'm ashamed of the way I've been acting. I've done some things I vowed I'd never do, just giving in to the pressure of the crowd, I guess. God must be very disappointed in me, because I believe in Jesus and want to do what's right. How can I get back on the right path, or is it too late?


A:

No, it’s not too late to get back on the right track — but the longer you delay, the less likely you’ll be to want to change. The temptation to go along with the crowd will become harder and harder to resist, and eventually you’ll look back and wonder what went wrong.

As you’ve discovered, being away from home for the first time brings its own temptations and problems. At one time, you had the support and encouragement of your family and friends, including your church. It probably was relatively easy then for you to resist temptation and do what was right.

But now all that is gone, and the only encouragement you have to do what’s right must come from within you — from your own moral and spiritual strength. Peer pressure can be very strong — and unless you’re prepared for it, you’ll find it hard to resist. The Bible warns, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character'” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Don’t continue down this path. Instead, turn to Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive you — and He will. Then learn to walk with Him every day — through reading the Bible and prayer, and through fellowship with other believers on your campus (check your campus bulletin boards for notices about Christian groups on your campus). You need them — and they need you.