I knew a girl once who was worried that she wouldn’t look like the perfect Christian girl to whoever she met. She was worried that the older women in her church wouldn’t think she was as mature or as wise as her own mother. She was worried that the younger Christian women would think that she was not “relatable” enough-meaning she had to get with the modern flow of Christianity.

This girl wanted to fit in with EVERYONE. To the more secular crowd of Christians she would become more secular, more worldly. To the conservative Christian crowd, you guessed it, she became more conservative. It was exhausting. I know because I was that girl. My whole life growing up I would try to fit into everybody’s mold, except for Christ’s.

Even in the online Christian Women’s ministry community, there is pressure to be the perfect writer with the perfect personal life so that you can share with others and bless them without feeling convicted in your own lifestyle.

Recently, I gave up trying to please every group of people. But it wasn’t easy. I still struggle with trying to amount to other people’s standards! But God is good, He is gracious and His Name is VICTORY!

Have you ever felt like there are just too many people in the world with too many beliefs and too many expectations? Well, you are one of those many people. It’s just a fact that everyone has different beliefs, different lifestyles, different standards and no one will ever look perfect in someone else’s eyes.

You may have totally different convictions than I do but that doesn’t mean that I should/can judge you or that you can judge me for my convictions.

Do you see what I am saying? For instance, the topic of modesty is so controversial and so widely disputed and I think one of the main reasons that it is, is because maybe other girls just have different convictions than the person who holds the platform to voice their opinion. It’s okay to have different convictions.

One person may say they like to wear skirts and head coverings while the person reading or hearing the discussion may feel bad because they don’t have that conviction, so their feelings turn into actions and actions turn into words which sometimes turns into heated discussions that the original author or speaker did not intend for.

I think that the topic could be anything but the truth is, that not everyone will see eye to eye on everything.

We need to be humble, servants of Christ, with love in our hearts for our sisters in the Lord whether they differ on convictions or beliefs that we may have. We should also be humble enough to come to the Lord with an open heart and mind, ready to hear from Him and from His Word those things which we should have conviction in.

Maybe you read a book, an article, or heard a speaker and had a righteous conviction in your heart to change something about your life. Bring it to the Lord. Surrender your opinions, surrender your sin, and ask the Lord to change you from the inside out.

It’s good to realize that others are different and it’s okay for you to be different too. What we shouldn’t do, is judge others who do have different beliefs and lifestyles. We should know all of this concerning many different topics, relationships, modesty, lifestyle choices, worship, doctrine, ect.

We can have our own beliefs without being judgmental and without being prideful. We need to learn to be more like Jesus.

“Oh to be like you, I give all I have just to know you.” Scandal of Grace, Hillsong United

We love and serve the same God, we are called to bring Him glory through our lives and actions, through the way we treat others. If we have a different way of going about it or if we differ in opinions, let it be a humble understanding, not a controversial, offensive dispute.

James 4:12 says, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, He who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

I always thought I had to try to adopt everyone else’s way of life so that I could fit in and not feel judged.

Not anymore. I answer to God and to God alone. If I am sinning or have an opinion that came from my own knowledge than I pray that God would reveal it to me.

The point of this article is not to say that you shouldn’t be convicted anymore.

Quite the opposite! It is good to be convicted and to see areas in our life that we can improve. It’s never good to be in a stagnant place in life where we are not constantly being conformed into God’s image. But if you are convicted, keep it to yourself and don’t judge others if they are different!

It’s okay to realize that maybe God has called you to a different lifestyle than the Christian girl who goes to college, or than the Christian girl who dates instead of courting.

We need to be comfortable with the life that God has called us to and not be jealous or indifferent to the girl who is different.

Check out these life changing verses! I encourage you to read them slowly and let them sink in. It’s amazing.

“To speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” Titus 3:2-7

I hope this has encouraged you and challenged you. I would love to hear from you in the comments. What are your thoughts on this subject? God bless!