First, and above all, is just being in God’s presence, allowing myself to be in a place where I have the greatest possibility of being touched by and spoken to by Him. This often comes from being in His house with other believers. In my case, this includes prayer meetings with the young men in our youth group. These times give me a chance to be spoken to by others – which leads to my second point.

The second thing that keeps me on track is the council and insight of my elders and those in authority over me. I can say that I am grateful for all of the people who have spoken into my life. They have been able to help me see the way God has for me when I can’t seem to get there by myself. The ones who have been instrumental in keeping me on track are people like my parents, my pastor, the elders in my church, and even peers who have a heart after God. I’m so thankful that even through the times where I cannot seem to see through the fog of war to the path Jesus has for my life, they have been there to guide me kindly and show me their examples of how to continue soldiering down the path I am on.

If there is any advice I may offer to those who are going through this experience, it is to continue putting yourself in God’s presence and to surround yourself with people who are able to speak what God wants to communicate to you when you can’t seem to find it for yourself.

Wouldn’t it be nice if hurting people were so easy to spot? They know their burdens are heavy, but do others know they are carrying heavy baggage? Maybe we should begin to wear brightly colored stickers on difficult days: HEAVY BURDENS, get help to lift! We are commanded to help each other in this way Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” How do we obey this without bright tags to identify those who need help with their burdens?

Ask God to help you have a Christ-like attitude as described in Philippians 2, looking out for others. Take advantage of an opportunity to do something good for someone else, as we are instructed in Galatians 6:10. Bright tags would make it easier to spot hurting people around you, but God has provided a better option. Obey God’s commands for burden lifting, follow His example, and let Him lead you as you help others lift their heavy burdens!

Too often, we compare ourselves with others. We are quick to think bad about ourselves when we see someone walk by, criticizing our bodies, personalities, or anything else that doesn’t compare to what they have. Did you know that God created everyone different for a reason? That he made us “fearfully and wonderfully”? Not only that, people who take a stand are special because they don’t look like everyone else. There is a line that separates people of conscience from the rest of the world, allowing the differences in how they act, talk, and dress to be clearly seen!

God told Christians to be different for a reason. Sometimes I can’t help but get sad when I see other Christians backing down on their convictions just to match the people around them. These are people who once had a strong walk with God. They knew who they were in Him — until they saw the world. They saw what they were “missing” and started trying to please themselves instead of God.

Question: since when does our life and our will matter? Why are we getting hung up on our lives all of a sudden, trying to please others instead of God? We are too possessive of our lives sometimes. James 4:14 says this: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” What is your life? God made it clear in Isaiah that we are nothing but dust in the palm of his hand. If that’s the case, why bother stressing so much over this world? Why care about what other people think of us dressing different and even keeping holy standards for ourselves? Besides, the truth is that others want something different. Everything they see is the same. Modesty isn’t a concern any more; swearing is part of normal conversation.

We need to shine where we are at, whether it is at school, work or even in the supermarket. When someone looks at you, whether they know it consciously or not, they notice a difference. They notice your joy, your freedom from sin, your liberty, and your purpose in life. God has already called us to be exactly who he wants us to be. If we lived by the expectations placed on us, no one would have the strength to stand for any cause.

I’m not saying there won’t be pressure: there will. But pressure doesn’t mean we have to live in a bubble trying to avoid it. We just need to re-evaluate who we are in God and how he sees us. We need to re-evaluate our walk with him, our standards and our motives for doing the things we do. We need to re-evaluate what our life really is and start living to the expectations God has for us, even if they’re different from expectations. After all — life is only a vapor.

What are some “different” convictions you’ve held (or still hold) that have produced good results? How about bad results? Should people understand that standing out can be a positive thing, or is it right to expect absolute conformity to trends and fashion? Let us know what you think in the comments.

What do you do when it’s time to pray and you don’t have anything to pray for? If you don’t have any emotion left to give? If you’re just plain worn out? Well, you just pray anyway. Or that’s what I did. After a few introductory comments, our group began with praise and worship. Like a sprinter who has just run for miles to reach the actual event, I felt as though I lacked everything necessary for true prayer. I hobbled on as best I could, trying to figure out what to do next.

Prayer – even standing in an atmosphere of prayer – can change your situation. As my fellow prayer warriors began to lift up Jesus’ name, the atmosphere of the room changed. I stopped struggling to find words and started to let them bubble up from my heart instead. When I felt God responding to their prayers and ministering to them, I gained hope and faith that He would still respond to my prayers.

Since our meetings began, this situation has been repeated often. It’s not an overstatement to say that none of the young men who agreed to hold weekly prayer meetings truly understood how it would change our lives. We may arrive with no direction, no faith, and no emotion, but we rarely leave without new inspiration, devotion, and purpose.

There is much to be said for becoming part of a group of people with whom you can worship God. When an atmosphere of encouragement and edification is encouraged, fellow believers can do much to strengthen your walk with God simply by continuing their own walk with Him – and you can strengthen theirs. Whether it’s a young men’s prayer meeting, a prayer group, a church, or a Bible study, I encourage you to seek out the people of God and provide Him with one more way to enrich your life.

Have others encouraged you in a group setting? Do you want to help fellow Christians by organizing a prayer meeting or Bible study group? Would you like to find a group like that in your area? Drop us a line in the comments!