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.

Called to be different

I had the privilege recently of attending the memorial thanksgiving service for an incredible man of God. We heard about his life; the way he reached out to people with the Gospel and saw them saved, the acts of kindness he showed to the poor and needy. He was an elder and then pastor of a church and ran an organisation reaching out to Muslims. He was also a wonderful husband and father.

We can either be incredibly intimidated by such testimony or wonderfully inspired. We are intimidated when we compare ourselves to people like this and find that we are woefully falling short of the example they have set. 

However there are no comparisons in the Kingdom. Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made and we are unique; there is no one like us either in personality, looks, gifting or calling. God wants us different; he made us that way.

We need instead to be inspired. The theme running through all the testimonies of this man was his enthusiasm for God and the Kingdom. That is something we can all have. It may manifest in different ways because of our different character and personality but we can all be really enthusiastic for God and the calling he has placed on our lives.

For some this will be a natural exuberance but for others it will be a deep joy manifested in much quieter ways. God will not ask us when we stand before him why we were not like another. Instead, as the parable of the talents shows, he will talk to us about the calling he placed on our lives and how we used what he gave us. 

This seems to be a season of God confirming and strengthening calling and then encouraging us to pursue it in ways that suit our personality. God only wants one of each of us because he made each of us unique. Together we make up the whole picture. Together with each of us playing our part to the best of our ability this world can be reached with the love of God. Together we can see our family and friends saved; we can see the hungry fed and the lonely placed in families. We can see the overthrow of the giants of our day; secular humanism, political correctness, the cult of fame and celebrity, violence and godlessness.

All it takes is each of us to love the Lord our God with enthusiasm and to walk in what he has called us to be and do with no comparisons but honouring and celebrating our differences and recognising, with thankfulness, our God given uniqueness.