Resilient: Powerful Hope in a Dangerous WorldSample

The word “love” appears around 500 times throughout the pages of the Bible—the word “holy”—600 times.

Holiness is perhaps the most significant theme and command in Scripture. Have you ever wondered what it means?

Holiness means to be set apart, other than, to be different.

Those of us who are followers of Jesus are called to live holy lives. Which means we are called to be set apart from the rest of the world. To go against the status quo. To look different than other people around us.

Not only are we called to be set apart from the world, but also from our former lives. To live a life of holiness is to live our new life without looking back at our old life. The old has gone; behold, the new has come!

Former sin, former idols, former ambitions, and former goals used to be on the thrones of our hearts - used to grow our kingdoms - but they have no place in a mind that is set to holy living.

Today, I invite you to be an imitator of God, to make the best use of your time, and do not conform to the life you once lived — that life is gone! You have been saved from the old you — the new you is called to be holy as the Lord your God is holy. Seek His ways. Invite Him into your days. Spend your time with Him, and He will lead you to be set apart for His glory.

Reflection Questions

1. What former patterns do you find yourself often falling back into?
2. In what ways do you look different from the rest of the world?
3. What is growing in you today? How is God calling you to imitate Him today?