Security - Where is Yours?
Where does your security lie? Hmm...good question, eh? My girls both had to have things to sleep with as small children...Lauren still does. Rachel used to take her "lovie" and twist it around her index finger and that is how she would put herself to sleep. I guess it made her feel safe. We all want to feel safe...whatever that means to us personally.
I have come up with four basic categories that most people find their security in:
1. things
2. others
3. self
4. God
THINGS
Some people put their trust in their material things. The more "stuff" they have the better they feel...but do they really? I used to think that. When I was young, I didn't have much. It was a treat for us to go out to eat. I remember just wanting to get a pair of Keds tennis shoes. That was always what I wanted for my birthday and I was SO excited when I got them. I felt like a million dollars all because I had a $20 pair of shoes! When I got married to a successful young man and could buy just about anything I wanted, I realized that money was NOT where happiness was. It makes living a little easier sometimes but it certainly is not where I place my security. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Along the same lines, some people place their security in food, drugs, and alcohol - substances. I will be the first to admit that I am an emotional eater! I eat when I am stressed or sad! It does NOT work out well for me. I ALWAYS feel worse afterwards!
OTHERS
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans."
I never intended this to be a confession blog but this is MOST DEFINITELY where I have the hardest struggle. I love people. I thrive on relationships. God knows and understands that we are relational people and I absolutely believe that He places people in our lives to show Himself BUT BUT BUT He does NOT place people in our lives to REPLACE Himself!!!! Please please please hear me on this one!!! I learned this the hard way! PEOPLE WILL LET YOU DOWN! I know that might shock you but it is the truth! Even the people that you think are the most perfect people in the world - yep, they will too! Because, I know, another shocker, THEY ARE NOT PERFECT! Please understand me when I say I know how hard this is. I have to pray about this almost daily.
SELF
Some people place all of their security in their own self. No one can do it better. They are the person they trust. I like to refer to this as self-centered. Prideful. I first thought of my 4-year old daughter always saying, "I don't need your help! I can do it myself!" Lord, I hope she outgrows that stage!! Or at least matures to the stage where she realizes she DOES need help with some things! At first glance I immediately said, "I am way too insecure to say this is me" but I think we all have a little self-centeredness if we really dig deep. Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. I found a tiny bit in myself, unfortunately. I am so glad though that God did not call us to rely on ourselves. I would be in a WORLD of trouble!!! "Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe." Proverbs 28:26
GOD
I guess I could say "Or a higher power" but this is my blog and the only higher power we will discuss is the ONE TRUE GOD - JESUS CHRIST! Ultimately, this is where it's at, folks! This is where our security should come from and be rooted in. Nothing else is worth it and all else will fail! "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever!" Isaiah 40:8 My prayer everyday is that God will draw me to Himself and allow me to trust in Him and allow me to see His face. That I will rely less on my friends and my husband and more on Him.
Now that we have looked at the four areas, have you been challenged to see where you put your trust and where your security lies? I have. It is eye opening. I am reading the book "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore and it has just been a GREAT book. I certainly struggle with insecurity but I have tried to figure out why. I can blame it on my childhood because I certainly had a rough one but I cannot dwell on that. I can't...I REFUSE! There was a time that I did...and quite honestly, I think I wanted to. I was thinking the other day and I came the realization that I think people like dwelling in the dark places of their lives because of the attention that it brings. I know that sounds ridiculous but think about it...when a child acts up in school what happens? They get attention. It may be negative attention but it is attention nonetheless. In the "social work world" we like to call that ODD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Sometimes that comes from neglect from parents and an unstable childhood, etc but children act out to get attention a lot of the time. They get in trouble and stay in the "bad places" in order to reap something they perceive as "good." Stay with me....if we stay in our "dark places" of sin or sadness people have a tendency to feel sorry for us....at least for a little while. If those people get tired of us, we move on to other people, right? Again, in the psychology realm of things this is often referred to as playing the victim. It is hard for these people to see the good that will come on the other side of their hurt. They can't optimistically look past their current circumstances...or their past.
I want to scream from the top of my lungs GET UP AND GET OUT!!!!! There is SO MUCH MORE on the other side!!!! I know!!! I have been there and I am so past that! I don't want to say that I have a tendency to go back from time to time but dwelling there...NEVER AGAIN! I have experienced the hurt of a painful childhood, I have sinned and know the pain that comes from bad choices and suffered BAD consequences! But the question is WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT???? Romans 8:28 says that "that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Now please hear me when I say that I know it is a process...I KNOW! But you have to CHOOSE to get there! Talk to me...I want to help!!!
I love you dear people! I LOVE YOU!!! Be SECURE in HIM today!!
I have come up with four basic categories that most people find their security in:
1. things
2. others
3. self
4. God
THINGS
Some people put their trust in their material things. The more "stuff" they have the better they feel...but do they really? I used to think that. When I was young, I didn't have much. It was a treat for us to go out to eat. I remember just wanting to get a pair of Keds tennis shoes. That was always what I wanted for my birthday and I was SO excited when I got them. I felt like a million dollars all because I had a $20 pair of shoes! When I got married to a successful young man and could buy just about anything I wanted, I realized that money was NOT where happiness was. It makes living a little easier sometimes but it certainly is not where I place my security. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Along the same lines, some people place their security in food, drugs, and alcohol - substances. I will be the first to admit that I am an emotional eater! I eat when I am stressed or sad! It does NOT work out well for me. I ALWAYS feel worse afterwards!
OTHERS
Psalm 118:8
"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans."
I never intended this to be a confession blog but this is MOST DEFINITELY where I have the hardest struggle. I love people. I thrive on relationships. God knows and understands that we are relational people and I absolutely believe that He places people in our lives to show Himself BUT BUT BUT He does NOT place people in our lives to REPLACE Himself!!!! Please please please hear me on this one!!! I learned this the hard way! PEOPLE WILL LET YOU DOWN! I know that might shock you but it is the truth! Even the people that you think are the most perfect people in the world - yep, they will too! Because, I know, another shocker, THEY ARE NOT PERFECT! Please understand me when I say I know how hard this is. I have to pray about this almost daily.
This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him."
Jeremiah 17:5-7
SELF
Some people place all of their security in their own self. No one can do it better. They are the person they trust. I like to refer to this as self-centered. Prideful. I first thought of my 4-year old daughter always saying, "I don't need your help! I can do it myself!" Lord, I hope she outgrows that stage!! Or at least matures to the stage where she realizes she DOES need help with some things! At first glance I immediately said, "I am way too insecure to say this is me" but I think we all have a little self-centeredness if we really dig deep. Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. I found a tiny bit in myself, unfortunately. I am so glad though that God did not call us to rely on ourselves. I would be in a WORLD of trouble!!! "Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe." Proverbs 28:26
GOD
I guess I could say "Or a higher power" but this is my blog and the only higher power we will discuss is the ONE TRUE GOD - JESUS CHRIST! Ultimately, this is where it's at, folks! This is where our security should come from and be rooted in. Nothing else is worth it and all else will fail! "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever!" Isaiah 40:8 My prayer everyday is that God will draw me to Himself and allow me to trust in Him and allow me to see His face. That I will rely less on my friends and my husband and more on Him.
Now that we have looked at the four areas, have you been challenged to see where you put your trust and where your security lies? I have. It is eye opening. I am reading the book "So Long Insecurity" by Beth Moore and it has just been a GREAT book. I certainly struggle with insecurity but I have tried to figure out why. I can blame it on my childhood because I certainly had a rough one but I cannot dwell on that. I can't...I REFUSE! There was a time that I did...and quite honestly, I think I wanted to. I was thinking the other day and I came the realization that I think people like dwelling in the dark places of their lives because of the attention that it brings. I know that sounds ridiculous but think about it...when a child acts up in school what happens? They get attention. It may be negative attention but it is attention nonetheless. In the "social work world" we like to call that ODD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Sometimes that comes from neglect from parents and an unstable childhood, etc but children act out to get attention a lot of the time. They get in trouble and stay in the "bad places" in order to reap something they perceive as "good." Stay with me....if we stay in our "dark places" of sin or sadness people have a tendency to feel sorry for us....at least for a little while. If those people get tired of us, we move on to other people, right? Again, in the psychology realm of things this is often referred to as playing the victim. It is hard for these people to see the good that will come on the other side of their hurt. They can't optimistically look past their current circumstances...or their past.
I want to scream from the top of my lungs GET UP AND GET OUT!!!!! There is SO MUCH MORE on the other side!!!! I know!!! I have been there and I am so past that! I don't want to say that I have a tendency to go back from time to time but dwelling there...NEVER AGAIN! I have experienced the hurt of a painful childhood, I have sinned and know the pain that comes from bad choices and suffered BAD consequences! But the question is WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT???? Romans 8:28 says that "that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Now please hear me when I say that I know it is a process...I KNOW! But you have to CHOOSE to get there! Talk to me...I want to help!!!
I love you dear people! I LOVE YOU!!! Be SECURE in HIM today!!
Comments