How to Feel Secure In A World That’s Not
Have you ever sat down and thought about how abruptly life goes from innocent to insecure? Can you pinpoint the time of your life where you suddenly started to understand good and evil and realized that nothing in this world can be counted on? It’s quite arbitrary, to think about it; and quite daunting, to recognize it bubbling up in your life, because it emphasizes the impact of our world on a very frail heart. Insecurity can ever so slowly start to emerge in our daily life and wreak havoc on our own personalities. We begin to recognize and contribute sin into the equation of our insecurity. How can we feel secure in a world that’s not?
The power in this world is terrifying. As we continue to grow up, the revelation of our own sinfulness grows as well. We start to see the world and all it’s expectations, pressure, judgement, and hatred. It’s filled with it. We begin to feel and see the temptations and feel emotions we hadn’t felt before. We begin to recognize and contribute our own sinful tendencies into the mix. We ask questions and desperately try to make sense of it all. We search and long for an identity and purpose and in doing so, we realize that we’re trying to find security in the very things that crumble. Who am I?
ONE: Recognize your misplaced security
The world tells us our security is in the temporary. Money, achievement, a house, and family are all examples of tangible aspects of how we gain and measure our worth and social status. It is a dark veil that the world puts over our eyes to dictate who we think we are and how good we are at being ourselves.
Somewhere along our early life we started noticing this. We started being a part of it. We started to fight, desire, and define our entire being based on those around us, and took their opinions to heart. Somehow, we traded the innocent for the insecure.
Romans 5: 19 “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”
But were we ever innocent? As believers, one of the most important things we can recognize and understand is who we are, the instant we are born into this world. First and foremost, we are sinners. Meaning, innocence has never been accomplished. We were born into a sinful world and our natural sinfulness causes us to trust in things that let us down and leave us.
Synonyms for the word security are freedom and guarantee. When I think about those words and try to match them to things like money and achievement, something doesn’t add up. Because money doesn’t set me free, it grips me. Achievement doesn’t guarantee success, it demands it. If these things aren’t securing me in my being, then what does?
TWO: Recognize your security is in a Person
BUT GOD.
Jesus Christ demolished the burden of our sin so that we can walk in grace and pursue Him over the world. We must recognize our need for a Savior, so we can understand that we are forgiven. He makes us a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”
If we know that Christ died for us and if we have accepted Him in to our hearts, then we know that His promise of grace secures us! We know that we are set free from our sin and guaranteed a place in heaven. We are not gripped by the frailty of our humanity nor are we bowing to the demands of worldly perfection. We are instead invited into a new body, to live a new life surrendered over to Him.
Hanging on to the only secure thing
It’s not on us to have it all figured out. It’s not on us to live within the expectations and judgements of those around us. But as we grow up, and become more and more aware of our natural sinfulness and the evil of our enemy, we are more prone to hold on to the tangible things. Which doesn’t make sense. But here’s why.
Security naturally comes in the form of palpable material. Mainly, because we relate security with comfort. We are comfortable surrounded by walls and under a roof. We are comfortable without financial burden and we are comfortable with the approval of bosses. So, we start to convince ourselves that things make us feel secure.
But what we often forget, is that you can’t be secure in something that isn’t secure itself. Meaning, that roof could collapse. You could lose your job. You could drop the pass. We are not guaranteed the possession of worldly things, yet we give our life away for them.
Jesus says “…lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal ” Matthew 6:20. We do have an untouchable promise! We have a definite safe place and unending secure love. Jesus offers us a way out of our insecurities. He offers us the freedom this world has so convincingly painted on. So, we let go of our insecurities by letting God take over. By letting Him do the work in our hearts that so desperately needs molding. From day one, we need Him and from day one He is there.
Let’s pray: Father, I have misplaced my security by placing it in worldly systems and things.You are my security and steadfast foundation. Take over my life and give me the courage and strength to rely on You in the midst of my insecurities. Help me to keep focused on eternal things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
6 Important Bible Verses to Feel Secure in a World That’s Not
- Isaiah 61:1-3: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord anointed me To bring good news to the humble; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,” To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. “
- Psalm 121:1-8: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
- James 1:2-4: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
- Romans 5:3-5: “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
- John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
- 1 Peter 5:10: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
Meet the author
Amy Hornbuckle
Amy Hornbuckle is a writer full time, wife to Dillon, part time Children’s Director at her church, and is passionately pursuing the word and walk of God. Her online ministry is designed to help you do the same by providing biblical resources and content. She has developed an intentional method of studying God’s word, called the Bible Study Workbook.
Outside of her ministry she is an adventure junkie who loves to take her dog hiking, camping, trail running, paddle boarding, essentially anything outside and you can find her there!