Have you ever noticed that when we are confident in ourselves, we walk proud? We stand tall. But when we are struggling, it’s as if we’ve injured our walk. We walk with a limp.
Have you ever struggled in your walk with the Lord? Do you ever look around at other believers who are smiling, seeming to be without problems and issues, and looking as if everything in their life is just “peachy”? All the while, you are falling apart on the inside – emotionally and spiritually.
I think if we were honest, we would all confess to feeling that way at one time or another. When we get overwhelmed and distracted by the world around us, we often first try to change ourselves – who we are, what we look like, how we act. We see others praised for just existing, while we wonder what else we can do to garner worth and praise.
We wish for a “restart” button that we could push to get life back on track. We secretly desire to strip our calendar of all its vain obligations and clutter so we can get back to pure, sincere service and worship of Christ. And even sometimes, we may desire to get away by going on vacation, but we are quickly reminded that running away from our problems doesn’t solve them. They are still waiting for us when we get back.
Why does it take so long for us to wake up from our pity party and realize we are not damaged goods? Why do we so easily fall for the lies of the enemy that tell us we are a permanent mess and irreversibly screwed up? We fall right into the trap of the enemy. The enemy’s goal is to get you feeling alone. He will do all he can to invoke loneliness in your mind.
You may feel like your emotions and life are out of control, but God is still on His throne. He is still Sovereign. He sees you. He cares for you. And He knows what you’re struggling with. So cry out to Him when you feel things are a mess. Call on the Lord and seek Him to set you straight on His path. Ask Him to guide you. Get in His Word and allow His truth to cleanse your mind and renew your thoughts. Place your focus back on Him.
Remember, you aren’t running “her” race. So quit staring at her and comparing yourself to her. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to her looks, her hair, her clothes, her personality, her differences. God made you special! He doesn’t need two of “her”! He wants you – in all you are.
Insecurity is a word overused or one that gets a lot of eye rolls. The reason is because we don’t want to face its definition. The dictionary defines “insecure” as:
“not firmly fixed; not effectually guarded or protected; liable to give way or break; exposed to danger or loss.“
That’s exactly where the enemy wants us! Not firmly fixed in Christ. Not guarded by His salvation. He wants us exposed to danger so we will be at risk of breaking. Have you ever noticed homeless people with suitcases and bags walking along the streets? That is a picture of you and me. Those bags and suitcases are a picture of insecurity. It’s a heavy burden we shouldn’t be carrying – wearing us out and weighing us down.
Maybe you feel like you are falling apart on the inside because of the cycle – the roller coaster – of insecurity, defeated one moment and full of confidence the next. Maybe you wonder why you can’t beat this – why you can’t get past this. Maybe you think, “What’s wrong with me?! Why can’t I be awesome and without issues? Why am I lazy? Why can’t I get this weight off? Why don’t I look pretty like her?” Stop those thoughts, dead in their tracks! Don’t take the path of those thoughts that cause you to spiral down so fast into worthless feelings. Don’t devalue your whole existence. We do it so quickly and often that we don’t even notice until a worship song seizes our focus or something we are reading in God’s Word takes hold of our heart and mind. Oh, we of little faith! Goodness.
And this isn’t to say we should fake our confidence. We may fool others, but we can’t fool the Lord. He sees right through our façade. He knows when we “fake it to make it.” And here’s the deal: don’t fabricate your own exaltation. Let God raise you up.
1 Peter 5:6, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.”
James 4:10, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”
There are many examples of insecurity women in the Bible: Rachel and Leah (in Genesis 29), Sarah and Hagar (in Genesis 16 and Genesis 21), and the story of Martha and Mary (in Luke 10). The deal is, when we feel like someone else has an advantage over us, we suddenly feel inferior. There will always be differences you notice in others. Don’t let those differences make you feel less of a person.
Raise your bar! You’re looking beside you, instead of above you. Don’t look at your fellow humans, who are flawed and sinful – just like you. Look up, to Christ – the Ultimate example!
Ephesians 5:1, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.”
Lord, thank you for being patient with us as we flesh out our struggles. Help us to navigate this life in light of Your Word. Help us to quit trying so hard. It’s showing – it’s ugly, and it’s not working. We can’t do things in our own strength. We need Your strength to walk in victory. We need Your strength to subdue our old nature. We need Your strength to do the heavy lifting in our life. You are capable, Lord. Help us trust You. You carry the whole world; You can carry us too! Amen.