Why Do We Strive To Fit in When We are Made to Stand Out?

Why Do We Strive To Fit in When We are Made to Stand Out?

This line came to me very strongly as I was reading the book of Daniel. We want to be included, we want to feel like we belong to a certain place or among certain people, we don’t want our ideas or beliefs to make us stand out, or be a spectacle for others to laugh at or make fun of. We are often afraid to stand up for what we believe because it doesn’t fit into what the “In” thing is. So we compromise, just to ensure that we are included. I have done this, over and over again. I’ve been too afraid to say NO! simply because I didn’t want people to look at me as some kind of loser. If you can identify with anything I’ve said up unto this point. I think this article will really encourage you.

God is looking for people who are interested in pleasing Him and not man. When you begin to live your life with this renewed perspective, all that you say, all that you do, and who you are will be to please God. Automatically you will be different from the world and the ways of the world.
Being different from the world comes at a cost. But, I can assure you that over time, this cost that you pay is worth it and you will reap rewards here on earth and in heaven.

Shifting your mindset from being a “people pleaser” to a “God pleaser” is a difficult process. Unfortunately, it’s not a one-time decision that you make and then BOOM! magically you are able to make this shift and stick to it. No, it’s a slow and steady process. The first step is asking God to forgive you for wanting to please man and fit into the ways of the world. Next Step is asking God to help you renew your mind and change your mindset. Then, you can expect God to put you through situations where this area of your life will be put through the fire and tested. It’s in these testing moments that the choices we make are very crucial. Are we going to cave in and please man or are we going to stand our ground and do what is right, even if it has some serious consequences attached to it?
A gentle reminder for you, if you fail and fall down during the process. It’s completely okay, don’t beat yourself up about it. Go back to God, His grace is more than enough for you.

I love this verse in Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. He resolved. Another version says He purposed in his heart, yet another version says, He made up his mind not to defile himself. Daniel knew that the meat and wine were offered to the gods of Babylon and in spite of direct orders from the king to eat and drink certain food, He decided to take a stand and guess what? He found favor. Do you know what risks he faced for disobeying the king’s orders? Death. Yet, Daniel chose to do what was right in the sight of God.

Let me give you a personal example. A few years ago, I was working for a news company. Even though I wanted to write on current affairs, my boss requested me to write entertainment news. I obliged to the request. One fine day, my boss asked me to write a “titillating” article on a former porn star turned Bollywood actress. I was expected to write a “hot” piece of news that would excite the reader. You get the gist, right? Well, I was extremely uncomfortable to write in a manner that I knew was not glorifying to God. I went up to my boss and told her, I’m sorry, I can’t write this article. She was surprised and tried to reason with me. Ultimately, she ended up writing the article herself. At that moment it didn’t matter what she thought of me, all that mattered was doing the right thing.

Once you pass the initial phase of not pleasing people, it will get easier. Let me tell you that God will honor you. He will be your defender and your rock. He will raise you up and you will find favor. God did that for Daniel, at a time when Daniel was in a foreign land under a tyrannical ruler, where the punishment was death. He did it for Joseph when Joseph was wrongfully imprisoned for taking a righteous stand. He will most certainly do it for you.
Choose to stand out, and be assured that your heavenly Father will be pleased with you and will say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

 

 

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