It might have been at work, or at a social gathering, or growing up in school, or even in our own family when we felt it. But every one of us at some point has felt out of place, like we did not belong. We felt like we were on the outside looking in. We were left out, isolated, rejected, and uncomfortable.
It is never a good feeling to be overlooked or feel like we are outside of groups in which we are required to belong. I experienced those feelings growing up and in the secular workplace as an adult. Those feelings eat at our sense of self-worth and erode our confidence. But those same circumstances can cause us to look to deeper things for our sense of worth than being popular or included by our peers.
Our Identity as Strangers in This World
As people who believe in Jesus Christ, we can feel a sense of isolation and exclusion in our workplaces, at school, in society, and even in our closest family relationships. It can be confusing and discouraging, especially when those we love the most seem to be living by a separate set of values. Some may even be hostile toward our faith in Jesus and our dedication to following Him.
But what if I told you that feeling out of place because we believe in Jesus is a normal experience? In John 17:16-18 not only did Jesus refer to Himself as not of this world, but He also said that His disciples were not of this world. Understanding that biblically you and I are strangers here is vitally important to our identity as followers of Jesus and children of God.
Both Peter and Paul address this issue in their writings. In 1 Peter 2:11, Peter addresses his readers as “strangers and exiles” (CSB) in this world. But what does this mean for us? In verses 9-10 (CSB), Peter explains that “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his [God’s] possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people.” Through faith in Jesus, we have a new identity and connection with a whole new citizenry made up of all those who trust in Jesus.
Living by Different Standards as God’s People
Paul expresses this thought as well in Philippians 3:20 when he writes, “But [we are different, because] our citizenship is in heaven,” AMP. He says something similar in 1 Corinthians 5:17 (CSB) when he writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”
This new citizenship does not mean we stop living as citizens here. Both apostles also command us to be good citizens and to submit to earthly authorities (see Romans 13:1–7 and 1 Peter 2:13–17). So we are not to withdraw from our earthly roles and obligations. Rather, we are to function as emissaries of a heavenly kingdom while we are alive on Earth.
When the earthly and heavenly kingdoms conflict, we are to align ourselves with the principles of God’s kingdom. Peter and John followed this model in Acts 4:18-20, when the Jewish leaders ordered them not to speak about Jesus anymore. Peter and John stood their ground and continued to proclaim the gospel of Christ as before.
As strangers here, we live by different standards. Before we came to faith in Jesus, many of us were filled with greed, lust, selfishness, and all kinds of wickedness. While some of us were just your basic sinner, all of us were lost and living by standards that were contrary to God’s kingdom principles.
Now, as God’s people, we are to live differently from how we lived before and from the standards of the people who reject Jesus. Our values change, our priorities change, our speech changes all because God has changed our hearts.
This new life in Christ changes us from the inside out. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV quoted above, we are a new creation. We have a new way of thinking, a new way of acting, and a new way of loving others. This new way of living is to focus on learning to follow the Spirit of Christ, rather than indulging the desires of our earthly nature as we did before we believed in Jesus.
Enduring in Faith with the Hope of Eternity
In Ephesians 4:17-24, Paul urged his readers to no longer live as the gentiles live. Before they came to faith in Christ, many believers in the gentile churches had worshipped idols and engaged in all kinds of depravity as they gave into every urge that moved them.
That life was a life focused on self and following the impulses and desires of our sinful nature. Many of us today have lived the same way. We may even still struggle with some of those things as believers in Jesus. This conflict we experience between living to please our old nature and living in the Spirit of Christ is what I write about in my book, The Stranger’s Conflict.
Living a life that is different from most of the society in which we live can become stressful and painful at times. But we have many examples of people who lived this different life. Hebrews 11 gives an overview of many characters from the Old Testament who persevered in faith despite the obstacles and disappointments they faced. These persevered because “they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one,” Hebrews 11:16b, NIV.
You and I have the hope of eternal life – a life with God for eternity. What fuels me a lot of times is that hope of an eternity with God where there are no more tears, and no more sorrows (see Revelation 21:3-4). When I think of the challenges of living on this planet for 70, 80, or even 100 years compared to eternity, the choice is clear. I want to live the best life for Christ that I can here. And when my time is done, go to be with Him.
This quote from page 127-128 in The Stranger’s Conflict sums this up nicely:
“We endure the hardships of following Christ because we have hope beyond this life. Even if we live to be one hundred or more, it is a brief time when compared to eternity. It is too easy to let our present life seem like this is all there is. But if we believe the promises of God in Scripture, we understand that there is a lot more life to live when our mission here on earth is completed. According to Peter, it is this hope of what lies beyond this life that can bolster our strength in times of trouble.
One fallacy of modern, Western Christianity is that if we are having trouble in life, it is because we are doing something wrong—that we are sinning. Jesus said that in this life, we will have trouble. But He also said that we should take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). That means that when we have endured, we will reign with Him for eternity! As we read that, it should excite us and fill us with hope. Our faith will not be in vain. It will pay off. Therefore, we endure the hard things in this life with the hope of eternity in mind. We can be assured that the trials, struggles, disappointments, and persecutions we face in this life pale in comparison to the blessing of eternity with Christ (Romans 8:18).”
So when you feel out of place because of your faith in Jesus, take heart. God is with you, and you are a part of a large nation that has gone before you and exists in this world today. Keep pursuing Jesus and find other believers with whom you can fellowship. By gathering with other believers we can find encouragement and discover opportunities to serve others as together, we follow Jesus into eternity.
This post is adapted from themes I dive into in my book, The Stranger’s Conflict. If you want to go deeper into what it means to persevere as a stranger in today’s world, click here to grab your copy today.