Set Apart: Why I Stand Out In The Modern World

“The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, ‘Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble.’”

— Isaiah 8:11-13 (NLT)

This is how I try to live… to set myself apart from the modern world. In other words, don’t go along with the crowd, but rather follow the ways of Christ.

I’ve had many people tell me I’m too “old-fashioned” or that I need to “loosen up” when it comes to my beliefs, behavior, and the way I dress. Some assume I’m just following a book of strict rules, but in truth, I’m simply trying to align my life with God’s Word and be a faithful Christian woman.

Not of This World

There are far too many people today who are caught up in following worldly trends—

→ changing their whole wardrobe based on what’s in or out,

→ buying the newest product or app just because everyone else has it,

→ or listening to secular music just because it’s “popular.”

One visual that reminds me of this concept is from the TV show The Chosen. The intro shows a stream of grey fish swimming in one direction… then a few of the grey fish turn around, become the color teal, and swim the opposite direction. That’s exactly how I see myself—going against the current of culture to follow Jesus.

What Scripture Says About Living Set Apart

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

— Galatians 1:10 (NLT)

This scripture reminds me that our goal on earth isn’t to blend in or be accepted by the world—it’s to be set apart for Christ. This is also my favorite verse and the passage I live by.

Here are some other powerful scriptures based on this topic:

Romans 12:2 (NLT)

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

John 15:19 (NLT)

“The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.”

1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5, 7 (NLT)

“God’s will is for you to be holy… So don’t live like those who do not know God… God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.”

Walking Differently on Purpose

The opening verse I shared from Isaiah is a bold reminder to trust God instead of giving in to fear or following the panic and opinions of the world. God warns His people not to get caught up in fear-driven thinking or conspiracies, but to set Him apart as holy, respecting and revering Him above all else. True fear—the kind that leads to wisdom—should be directed toward the Lord, not toward the things that scare others. This is one of many reasons why I live differently.

Here are some examples of how living set apart looks in my life:

• I do not participate in overly-popularized social constructs such as foul language, gossip, drinking alcohol, marking my body with tattoos, etc. (Romans 13:13-14)

• I avoid all secular music, podcasts, TV, movies, books, social media influencers, etc. (Philippians 4:8)

• I don’t participate in modern dating culture. Instead, I believe in biblical courtship. I've also committed to abstain from physical intimacy—including my first kiss—until after marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

• I wear skirts and dresses most of the time. Not because the Bible tells me to directly dress this way, because it doesn't, but because the Lord wants me to dress in a way that shows I am comfortable in my female identity, but in a humble and modest way. I cover my body appropriately not out of shame, but because I don't have to show skin to be beautiful. Dressing modestly honors not only yourself, but the Lord. (1 Peter 3:3–4)

• I also wear a headcovering to church. Not to be legalistic, but to humbly obey scripture and glorify God with my womanhood. (1 Corinthians 11:1–16)

(I highly recommend this book on the topic: “Head Covering” by Jeremy Gardiner)

Living For The Lord

This is who I am in my Christian identity—and I’m not ashamed of it.

Even if the rest of the world looks down on me, I will continue to live in a way that reflects Jesus, the One who saved me and gave me new life through Him. I don’t follow man-made trends, but rather God’s biblical truth.

If you’ve ever felt out of place for standing strong in your convictions, you’re not alone. Even when it’s hard, continue to trust in the Lord and obey His Word because in the end, it will all be worth it.

I pray this post inspires you to live set apart from the world, and live for the Lord instead without shame.

God Bless You!

—Shelby Guffey

P.S.

I hope you enjoyed my very first post as the start of my new blog! I plan on going into more detail about some of the topics I referenced in this post, among other things. Stick around and be inspired, and feel free to let me know if you have any topics you’d like me to talk about in future posts. Thanks so much!