Romans 1 : 6 tells us "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew and then to the Gentile."
Focusing on that first bit, DO NOT BE ASHAMED for your faith in the one who ended the separation between you and God. Romans 6 : 23 explains how because of our sin, we deserve death. But Jesus paid the price that we were supposed to pay, instead we get a FREE gift eternal life with God! He did not die so He could love us, He died because He loves us already.
Society will always tell you how to live. People will constantly let you down, they will always judge you no matter what, people will always change their actions, opinions and so on. But as Christians, we do not live to serve man. Man is very inconsistent whereas God stays the same through all seasons even when we do not feel Him close. He is who He says He is and He has always been.
When we try very hard to live up the world's changing standards, we will lose worth in ourselves and in our values. Romans 12 : 2 tells us to not confirm to the ways of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. So what does that even mean? once we cease to allow our present world to influence us and mold us and finally let God completely change our inwardly thinking and our outwardly behaviour to model our ways to be like Christ's, that's when the spirit of God can renew us! We will be able to experience God in a new way once we finally shift all of our focus and gaze upon Him and stop listening and pleasing the world. I do not know if you know this, but our world is broken, imperfect and messed up! So why would we want to serve and please something that is all those things, when we can serve our father, Jesus who poses qualities such as healing, power, love, joy, peace and self control?
If I have learned anything throughout my walk of being a believer, it is to always choose God. When life throws temptations at you, choose God. When the world persecuted you for what you believe, choose God. When people hurt you and leave you because you are not living according to their standards, choose God. His will is greater, will benefit us entirely in the end, and more importantly, bring Glory to Him.
There will come a day, many probably, where you have to choose your faith over many things, relationships, opportunities and so on. But cling to the truth that this world cannot save your, only Christ can.
