STOP LOOKING AT ME
MARCH 2013
by Lisa Maki
Are you a pastor’s kid? Are you an “A” student? Are you the eldest in a family of four or more children? Are you a star athlete? To put my question more simply ... do people look at you with very high expectations, to the point of expecting you to be almost perfect?
It is not easy when you feel that people are watching you and you are not even allowed to make a mistake. The pressure can be so great. I should know because I was one of those. I still am in a lot of ways.
My parents had very high expectations of me as the eldest in a brood of five. I was the second in command (next to my parents). I was responsible for my three brothers and a sister. Of course I was expected to be the role model for all my siblings – in my studies, my lifestyle, and everything else. It surely put too much pressure on me which eventually led to my rebellion. Instead of being a good example, I became the black sheep. I started smoking at 12, had a boyfriend at 14, got pregnant at 19, and so on and so forth.
I don’t want you to end up like me, which is why I am writing this article for you. Though God has changed me completely, there are still things that I regret having done. So listen to me now and pay attention to what I am going to say.
It is not easy when you feel that people are watching you and you are not even allowed to make a mistake. The pressure can be so great. I should know because I was one of those. I still am in a lot of ways.
My parents had very high expectations of me as the eldest in a brood of five. I was the second in command (next to my parents). I was responsible for my three brothers and a sister. Of course I was expected to be the role model for all my siblings – in my studies, my lifestyle, and everything else. It surely put too much pressure on me which eventually led to my rebellion. Instead of being a good example, I became the black sheep. I started smoking at 12, had a boyfriend at 14, got pregnant at 19, and so on and so forth.
I don’t want you to end up like me, which is why I am writing this article for you. Though God has changed me completely, there are still things that I regret having done. So listen to me now and pay attention to what I am going to say.
The reason why people are expecting so much from you is because you have a high calling in your life. You are not like everybody else. The devil knows this and will do everything to discourage you, so that you will not be able to fulfill that great call in your life.
Yes it is difficult. Yes it can be so stressful. But know that all these are needed to prepare you for something big. God said in Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
God set you apart which is why people will always expect you to be better than others. You may be a future minister of the Gospel who will impact the whole world. You may end up as a politician who will make a big difference. You may be a very successful business person who will help employ thousands of people. You may be a future first lady of the country. God knows who you will become. You were predestined for greatness. And the devil has been so scared of you since the day you were born. He can’t stop God’s plan in your life from happening but he can surely distract you or keep you away from making this plan happen.
No wonder you are getting worn-out. No wonder you are getting sick and tired of people expecting too much from you. The devil is making you feel this way so you will give up and go the opposite direction.
I didn’t know any better as a teenager. I didn’t see it as the devil. All I saw was how unfair the world was for expecting too much from me and how other girls like me were having an easier life. I gave up fast. I rebelled and did what I wanted to do. Though God still worked out His plans in me later on in my life, I wasted so many opportunities and hurt a lot of people.
God set you apart which is why people will always expect you to be better than others. You may be a future minister of the Gospel who will impact the whole world. You may end up as a politician who will make a big difference. You may be a very successful business person who will help employ thousands of people. You may be a future first lady of the country. God knows who you will become. You were predestined for greatness. And the devil has been so scared of you since the day you were born. He can’t stop God’s plan in your life from happening but he can surely distract you or keep you away from making this plan happen.
No wonder you are getting worn-out. No wonder you are getting sick and tired of people expecting too much from you. The devil is making you feel this way so you will give up and go the opposite direction.
I didn’t know any better as a teenager. I didn’t see it as the devil. All I saw was how unfair the world was for expecting too much from me and how other girls like me were having an easier life. I gave up fast. I rebelled and did what I wanted to do. Though God still worked out His plans in me later on in my life, I wasted so many opportunities and hurt a lot of people.
I want you to look in the mirror now and say: I am predestined by God for greatness. I am special in God’s eyes. I am set-apart. The devil has no power over me. I will fulfill what God has called me to do.
Write these down and remind yourself daily, more so during those times when you feel like giving up. Never get envious of those who just do whatever they want. Someday they will not be able to do what they want because they won’t even have the means to do it. They may even end up in rehabs or prison or trapped in a miserable marriage. You have to learn to look far beyond you, which most teenagers don’t even have a clue about.
You may be living in the here and now but you are definitely going somewhere. That somewhere is something you have to visualize in your mind. While some of your friends may be concerned only of the present, be concerned about your future. Actually, every little decision you make now will dictate the kind of future you will have. If you don’t care about the present, there will surely be no future for you.
Again, let me tell you how special you are. You are different from everybody else. Knowing this, let people look at you as a role model. Let them expect much from you. They have to because you are a leader in the making.
You may be living in the here and now but you are definitely going somewhere. That somewhere is something you have to visualize in your mind. While some of your friends may be concerned only of the present, be concerned about your future. Actually, every little decision you make now will dictate the kind of future you will have. If you don’t care about the present, there will surely be no future for you.
Again, let me tell you how special you are. You are different from everybody else. Knowing this, let people look at you as a role model. Let them expect much from you. They have to because you are a leader in the making.
Lisa Maki is the founder, publisher, and editor of God'z Gurlz. More about Lisa at ...
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