The consecrated life.
The consecrated life is a lonely one. You are often the one who is viewed as "doing too much" or "carrying Jesus on your head". Some may even say, "calm down, you have the rest of your life ahead of you". I've always wondered why I felt convictions deeply while others seemed not to budge. I've wondered if I was truly "doing too much" and if I should "tone it down a bit". The truth is, the consecrated life is the only life there is when following You, Jesus. Anything outside of that is worldly and not of You. I've learned to accept me for who You created me.
The consecrated life requires one to die to self. Dying to self should be a daily practice. This means, not my will but thy will be done. The consecrated life means YOU become my Lord. Every decision of my life is influenced by You. The consecrated life means laying down what I perceive to be right to follow You.
The consecrated life means being separate (set apart, holy, distinguishable) from the world. The consecrated life means being willing to be ridiculed by the world for being obedient to God. It means, feeling awkward in certain situations for saying what God instructed you to say (though others are saying something else).
I want you to ask yourself: Am I living a consecrated life? Do I enjoy the customs and practices of this world? Am I self-serving? Are my decisions self-serving or am I choosing to do what God tells me to do? Who's the boss of your life? Either Jesus is Lord of your life, or He's not. Make a decision.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me."
Matthew 16:24