Trample insecurity

Insecurity with its mate inadequacy can quickly stunt the growth of our identity as God’s children and stifle the gifting that God has placed in us. Insecurity and inadequacy find their place when we make comparisons with others and then we forget that our confidence is not in our own abilities but in God.

We all know we will disappoint ourselves when we fail or do not come up to the mark we have set for ourselves. But we will never disappoint God. Disappointment comes when things do not work out as expected. God knows how it’s all going to work out before it happens, so he is not going to be disappointed. Instead, he sees every failure and perceived disappointment as an opportunity for growth and to have another shot at whatever it may be, until we succeed. What we must not do is give up, especially before we’ve even tried or worst still, never try again. 

We were visiting the Yorkshire Dales, one of the most beautiful hill areas of England known for walks, hikes and even a little mountaineering. We were hoping to take a walk to a local beauty spot but were almost put off by the many, many hikers kitted out in boots, rucksacks and all-weather clothing. Our normal wear, with sandals and trainers, seemed hopelessly inadequate and made us feel the same. With trepidation, we overcame our fears and set off for what was really an afternoon stroll, quickly realising everyone else was also wearing normal clothing with sandals or trainers.  Our fully kitted out hikers had probably not been on our walk at all but had spent the day high up in the fells where their clothing was essential. Our sense of inadequacy had almost robbed us of our beautiful walk.

When we first started playing golf, I too was almost overwhelmed with insecurity when I saw golfers wearing smart brand-named clothing with Ping or Calloway clubs looking very much the part. However, watching them tee off at the first hole and my insecurities vanished as I watched them hit a shot that scuttled along the ground and entered the long grass. All the gear does not a golfer make.

However, this can also all too easily happen in church when we compare ourselves, usually unfavourably with others. We think I could never pray like that lady or prophesy like that man or lead worship like – well you fill in the gap. God doesn’t want you to pray like anyone else – he wants you to talk to him in the way that only you can. If he gives you a word or picture to share, he wants you to share it in your own inimitable style. 

When we let insecurity and inadequacy come into our hearts and minds, we steal not just from ourselves but others who want to hear what we have to pray or share. We’re letting God down too – not that he is bothered by that – but he wants the best for us, and the best is to quash the voices that tell us we are no good compared to others. We are unique, wonderfully and fearfully made with so many gifts to share and so many prayers to be prayed and good works to be undertaken.

Trample inadequacy and insecurity underfoot and be who God has made you to be – a one-off -fully equipped for all God has called you to be and do.

Peace I leave you

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14: 27

Jesus spoke these encouraging words to the disciples on the night of the Passover meal just before he was betrayed, tried, flogged and crucified. He knew what lay ahead so it was important for the disciples to know before these awful events that Jesus had left them his peace. Jesus’ peace is not the world’s peace which is a hopeful expression of freedom from war or disturbance. Jesus’ peace can calm all fears and give us that inner certainty that God is for us and will never leave or forsake us.

Peace goes when difficult circumstances come against us. Times of uncertainty bring to the surface our deepest levels of fear, doubt and insecurity. Anxiety and fear of what may happen grip us. The awful sense of things being out of control causes panic to rise and our trust in God to loosen. We feel we must do something but don’t know what to do and apart from shouting at God, the options are not always very promising.

R T Kendall teaches to pray till the peace comes and he uses Paul's advice to the Philippians found in Philippians 4: 6. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present you requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. He teaches that present means to reveal as in a mystery. We need to look at our deepest levels of fear, doubt and insecurity and present or reveal them to God. God knows what they are but till we are honest with ourselves about what we REALLY fear and speak them out to God they will hinder the peace coming. It may be fear of someone dying, of not having enough money to pay the bills, of a teenager getting in trouble with the police or getting involved with the wrong crowd.  Present your fears with your prayers and petitions to God.

As we do this, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will flood our very being. It will come and guard your heart and mind – so often the whirlpool of insecurity.  The circumstances may not change but you will. You will know that God is holding all things in his hands. Having exposed your deepest fears to God, sometimes the most important words are, ‘I trust you God.’ Time and again I have found that the peace of God has entered me even if nothing else appears to have changed. God is faithful; he has never let me down.

God has left us his peace and he desires we walk in it whether things are going well or not very well. So often in the bad times we discover that all God has said about himself is true as we present to him our fears and as we let his peace come.