Encouragement for living your life as a set apart child of God.
Ever felt like you just didn’t fit in? You may have tried changing the way you dress or adopting new hobbies. However, no matter how hard you tried, you still stuck out like a sore thumb.
You watched other people show up and instantly become one with the environment and wonder why you couldn’t do the same.
As Christians, we’re called to stand out. But, we’re also human. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, being loved and wanting to belong is an essential human need. It’s not wrong to want to fit in.
No matter how “antisocial” some people may think they are, God created us to rely on each other. We are the body of Christ and not one part can operate without the other (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV).
The problem lies when we try to fit in with the wrong crowd. And when you try to go along with the wrong crowd, God gives you little nudges to get you back on the correct path.
As a result, it appears that you’re not fitting in. And this is where Satan attacks you based on that human need. He tries to convince you that you’re awkward and that you’re not good enough. He uses it to try and isolate you.
What he doesn’t want you to know is though you’re an outcast to certain groups, you’re a friend to God. So if you’re feeling like an outcast in your family, at work, school, or even at church, this blog post is for you.
In this article, we’ll discuss what it means to be set apart by God, what the bible says about it, and wrap up with a prayer to strengthen and encourage you as you stand out for God.
What does it mean to be set apart by God?
By definition, the phrase set apart means “to make someone or something different and special.” It also means “to keep something separate in order to use it for a particular purpose.”
As a Christian, being set apart by God means that you do not conform and follow the ways of the world (society and culture). You follow the behavior of Jesus.
God set you apart before you were even born. Take a look at Jeremiah 1:5 which states
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
As God told Jeremiah, the same goes for you. Before your mom had a positive test or you were a blip on an ultrasound machine, He called you at a specific time for a specific purpose setting you apart for His great works.
What are those great works you might ask? Take a look at your gifts and talents. Are you able to sing like an angel, lead like David, or understand and communicate difficult bodies of work like Daniel?
In setting you apart, God gave you those gifts and talents to help you accomplish His will for you here on Earth.
However, if you’re busy trying to conform to the world and fit in with the crowds around you, it’s going to be hard for you to accomplish your tasks.
You cannot serve two masters. Matthew 6:24 states,
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
To be a friend to the world means that you’ll end up making the same mistakes that the Isrealites did. Instead of prospering as the nation set apart by God, they endured many hardships because they sinned against Him.
It’s also important to mention that being set apart by the Lord does not signify superiority. This is not a trait of God and shouldn’t be that of Christians.
Examples of being set apart by God.
To drive home the point of what it means to be set apart by God, let’s take a look at some biblical examples.
Jeremiah was a Christian set apart by God.
As stated above, Jeremiah was set apart by God to be a prophet to the nations. God called him before he was 20 years old. And of course, he had his reservations.
The people of Israel had turned against God and started worshiping other gods. They took on the cultures and traditions of the nations surrounding them instead of following God’s.
Jeremiah was the prophet chosen to warn them about the coming judgment of God. Though Jeremiah was an outcast preaching the word to people who wouldn’t listen, God never left his side.
He strengthened, protected, and covered him as he fulfilled his assignment.
You may not be called to preach God’s word to stubborn people, but whatever He has called you to do, you are not alone.
Esther was a woman set apart by God.
She was a Jewish, orphaned woman whom God allowed to marry King Xerxes, a Persian king according to His ultimate plan.
Haman, the villain of the story, held a high position in King Xerxes’s court. He hated the Jewish people and was unaware of Esther’s heritage.
Esther’s obedience, bravery, and trust in God allowed God to use her to prevent the mass genocide of the Jewish people.
Being set apart by God leads to God’s favor and the furthering of His kingdom which benefits all.
Joseph was a man set apart by God.
Joseph didn’t have a great relationship with his brothers. He had dreams about his family bowing down to him.
In addition, his earthly father showed him much favoritism over his brothers. Thus, in their jealousy, they sold Joseph into slavery as opposed to the first plan, which was murdering him.
Joseph sustained trial after trial even ending up in jail for a crime that he didn’t commit. But, God was by His side through it all favoring him, protecting him, and encouraging him. In the end, Joseph became the right hand of Pharaoh.
When a great famine God had warned about through dreams consumed the land, it was Joseph who rationed out the grain with God’s wisdom. In doing so, he saved the people of the land and his family. This includes the brothers who had sold him into slavery after deciding not to kill him.
This list could go on and on and includes Jesus himself.
The truth is that every Christian is set apart by God. It’s up to us to decide if we will follow God allowing Him to work through us despite fear, doubt, and trials.
Being set apart by God will take you through difficult seasons. However, from the examples above, I hope to have conveyed to you that you are never alone. God’s favor, love, and His very presence are with you.
What are some signs that you are set apart by God?
Each of us was created for a purpose to advance God’s kingdom. We are just called to do different things.
But, if you’re looking for a sign that God has set you apart, take a look at the below.
1. God tells you
I mean He literally says I want you to do “this”. Sometimes, we don’t believe Him and ask for a sign. You don’t need a sign and you don’t need anyone’s permission.
All you need is to be obedient to your Father’s voice. Take it from someone who has first-hand experience. Life is better on the other side of obedience. Find out what’s on the other side of yours.
2. He keeps placing a task on your heart
I never thought about blogging before 2017. I hated writing. As a physician, I was a professional student spending years writing papers. I wanted to be done with that.
Yet, somewhere around 2016, I kept feeling God calling me to share the encouragement He gave to me with others. I could be lying on the couch looking for something mindless to do in an attempt to get a break away from studying and would feel His call.
It soon became evident what God wanted me to do. And here I am. What has He been placing on your heart lately?
Bible verses on being set apart by God
Now that we know what being set apart means, let’s look at what the bible says about it. Here are a few verses that touch on the subject.
- You are chosen and handpicked by God to abide in His presence and for His glory.
1 Peter 2:9:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
2. The next three verses confirm that we are not of this world. We are born again in Christ, set apart to do his wonderful works.
John 17:15-18
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
John 15:19
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3. One way to worship God is to live a life set apart for Him.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
4. Although you may feel like an outcast in this world, you’re never alone. God hears you and it’s He who stands with you.
Psalms 4:3
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Prayer for strength when you are set apart by God.
Dear God,
I know what it means to be set apart by you. I’m thankful for the privilege of knowing you, your goodness, and your mercies.
I know that being an outcast in the world is your way of bringing me closer to you. I thank you for your love and protection.
But Lord, when loneliness starts to come in, please give me comfort and strength. When the enemy tries to convince me that I’m worthless because I don’t fit in, help me cast down those thoughts remembering that I am yours.
May my desire always be to please you and not the people or things of this world.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Final thoughts on living a life set apart by God
As a Christian, you are called and set apart by God. You chose Him when you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. But, He chose you long before this.
You’re NOT awkward and YOU ARE good enough. Stop trying to march to everyone else’s beat. Instead, march to the specific beat that He gave you. If you don’t, you will always sound like an offbeat instrument in an orchestra.
You were born to stand out and blaze trails never before seen. Hope this encourages you! Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Until next time. Be blessed.
-Dr. Jay
