Insecurities
By Elin Henderson
“He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.”
Psalm 121:3
By Elin Henderson
“He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.”
Psalm 121:3
In an age of uncertainties, “insecurities” has become a sort of buzz word. We talk about financial insecurities, border insecurities, political insecurities, and the list goes on. Yet, looming above all of that is the fact that many of us face serious personal insecurities. You can hardly turn on a talk show or open a self-help book without the word “insecurity” coming up. So I asked myself, “What exactly does this term mean?”
“Insecurities” according to The Concise Oxford Dictionary is the noun form of “insecure,” meaning “uncertain, lacking confidence…unsafe; not firm or fixed…liable to give way (like ice or ground).” (1) While we can easily look around us and see an insecure world, when we look inside, we find that we ourselves are riddled with insecurities; insecure about how we look, our pasts, our families, our accomplishments, so on and so forth. We often walk on unstable, shaky ground and have no confidence to stand.
“Security,” on the contrary, is defined by the same as “untroubled by danger or fear… safe against attack; impregnable…fixed or fastened so as not to give way or get loose or be lost.” (2) While the previous definition brings despair and imminent danger, the latter brings peace and safety, an environment in which one can stand firmly and grow.
While we all search for security, it is clear that we are perhaps searching in the wrong places. The world may offer temporary security, but lasting security comes from only one place: the Lord. Indeed, when we allow what people think of us…and even what we think of ourselves…to permeate our minds and lives, we quickly find ourselves wallowing in insecurities because these are all like walking on unstable ground! But there is no shadow of turning with the Lord. Great is His faithfulness! He is the ultimate, the Author of security. In Scripture, we find promise after promise assuring us of His control, His protection, His guidance along our paths. Yet time and time again, we fail to rest in that. Our insecurities can only be conquered as we daily, moment-by-moment, hand them over to Him and claim His promises of security in the midst of calamity!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What are your greatest insecurities? Are you willing to leave them at the Lord’s feet? If not, ask Him for the faith to trust Him and rest in His sovereignty.
2. To remind yourself of the security you have in God, post verses around your home as daily reminders.
FURTHER READING:
Psalms 119:90, 121:3-4; Lamentations 3:22-23
(1) Thompson, Della. The Concise Oxford Dictionary. 9th Edition. Clarendon Press, Oxford University, New York, NY. pg. 702
(2) pg. 1251
“Insecurities” according to The Concise Oxford Dictionary is the noun form of “insecure,” meaning “uncertain, lacking confidence…unsafe; not firm or fixed…liable to give way (like ice or ground).” (1) While we can easily look around us and see an insecure world, when we look inside, we find that we ourselves are riddled with insecurities; insecure about how we look, our pasts, our families, our accomplishments, so on and so forth. We often walk on unstable, shaky ground and have no confidence to stand.
“Security,” on the contrary, is defined by the same as “untroubled by danger or fear… safe against attack; impregnable…fixed or fastened so as not to give way or get loose or be lost.” (2) While the previous definition brings despair and imminent danger, the latter brings peace and safety, an environment in which one can stand firmly and grow.
While we all search for security, it is clear that we are perhaps searching in the wrong places. The world may offer temporary security, but lasting security comes from only one place: the Lord. Indeed, when we allow what people think of us…and even what we think of ourselves…to permeate our minds and lives, we quickly find ourselves wallowing in insecurities because these are all like walking on unstable ground! But there is no shadow of turning with the Lord. Great is His faithfulness! He is the ultimate, the Author of security. In Scripture, we find promise after promise assuring us of His control, His protection, His guidance along our paths. Yet time and time again, we fail to rest in that. Our insecurities can only be conquered as we daily, moment-by-moment, hand them over to Him and claim His promises of security in the midst of calamity!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What are your greatest insecurities? Are you willing to leave them at the Lord’s feet? If not, ask Him for the faith to trust Him and rest in His sovereignty.
2. To remind yourself of the security you have in God, post verses around your home as daily reminders.
FURTHER READING:
Psalms 119:90, 121:3-4; Lamentations 3:22-23
(1) Thompson, Della. The Concise Oxford Dictionary. 9th Edition. Clarendon Press, Oxford University, New York, NY. pg. 702
(2) pg. 1251
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to eleven-year-old Callie and eight-year-old Elias.
