Unfit for This World (and That’s Okay)– Reflections on John 15:19

This week, I have been reflecting a lot on John 15:19: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

As a college student, it is easy to be distracted by everything happening around me. There’s always something going on - parties, social events, trends to follow, opinions to agree with, and pressures to “fit in.” And honestly, sometimes it feels exhausting trying to keep up. It’s easy to start wondering if I’m missing out or if I’m supposed to be doing more to be liked or accepted.

But when I sit with this verse, I’m reminded that I’m not supposed to belong here in the same way. God didn’t choose me to blend in; He chose me to stand apart. And while that can feel lonely at times, it’s also deeply comforting. It means that when I feel different, when my choices don’t make sense to everyone else, or when I walk away from something the world calls “fun,” it’s not because I’m behind, it’s because I’m aligned with something greater.

There’s a quiet strength that comes with being “set apart.” It’s a daily choice to follow Jesus even when the crowd goes the other way. It’s choosing grace when gossip is easier, patience when anger feels justified, and truth when compromise would help me fit in. It’s not always glamorous, but it’s beautiful, because it’s in those small, faithful choices that I see God shaping my heart to look more like His.

I think the enemy loves to use isolation and comparison to convince us that we’re alone. But the truth is, we’re not. We’re part of something far bigger than this world, a Kingdom that’s eternal. So when it feels like you don’t belong, remember: that’s exactly the point. You were never meant to.

Being “set apart” isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being His. And even on the hardest days, that is more than enough.