Being a woman can be hard, really really hard. It is so easy, especially for younger women, to compare themselves to others. Or to feel like they have to fit in. When we don’t fit in we feel like something is wrong with us. The good news is that the majority is usually wrong. We have to set our priorities straight and focus on what God is telling us to do. Matthew 6:33 tells us to: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” This is amazing news! This means that if we don’t follow the crowd, and we do what God wants, everything will still be okay!

As Christians, we are warned not to love the world. 1 John 2:15 says: “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” If we are obsessed with fitting in, we are loving the world. God tells us that we can not love Him and the world. In order to love Him we must be set apart. We must stand up for our faith, even if that means standing alone.

Setting yourself apart is essential. The path of the righteous is narrow. This means that most people are not headed in the right direction. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says: “Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.” This verse specifically tells us to set ourselves apart from the world. It does not make it optional, it says that if you do, the Lord will welcome you. In order to set yourself apart, you will make tough choices. It requires surrounding yourself with godly people, reading the Word, walking by faith, and letting your flesh die. It will rarely be popular to live righteously, but it will be worth it.

This all may seem a little overwhelming, or even impossible, but here are a few ways to set yourself apart when you aren’t sure what to do:

 

 

• Think Before You Act: As simple as this may sound, most people don’t do it! Think about what you’re about to do is a good idea. What is your initial reaction? “Everyone is doing it” is NOT a good enough reason.

• Pray About It: Ask God for guidance and wisdom. He will always provide you with wisdom when you ask for it. Listen to what He says about it.

• Ask Your Parents: Sometimes this is the last thing we want to do is to ask for advice from our parents, but they may have encountered this situation before. Ask them what they think about it.

• Care More About What HE Thinks About You Than What They Think About You: As hard as it is to grasp, the opinion of other humans means absolutely nothing in terms of eternity. His opinion matters forever. If you try to impress your friends instead of Him, you may end up in a situation you quickly want out of.

• Does It Feel KINGDOM Lead?: Does this feel like something that God orchestrated? Or does it feel like something that the enemy wants to use to hurt you? It is not always easy to tell, but it will become clear if you pray about it. This is where trusting your gut comes in.

 

We will never make the right choices 100% of the time. But this is no excuse to knowingly live the wrong way and ask for forgiveness later. We should make every effort to live a life set apart from the world.