Even though it doesn’t always appear this way, every person has insecurity in some area of their life. It is a universal characteristic. It first appeared after Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. They first looked at themselves, became self-conscious, and thereby intuitively discovered they were naked. Unhealthy fear, the driver of insecurity, motivated them to hide their problem behind fig leaves. (Genesis 3:6-13) Although it isn’t a gene, this insecurity has been passed on to the soul of each human from that point forward. Today we still try to hide that debilitating feeling within by all forms of “leaves” that come to mind—judgmentalism, anger, superiority, controlling, jealousy bullying, name calling—every form of evil.
What had Adam and Eve done that so dramatically changed how they felt in their mind and emotions? They intuitively knew their disobedience had separated them from the source of their security—God’s presence. Consider this, could it be that the feeling of insecurity is our intuition telling us something’s not right in our relationship with God? David, who struggled with the very same insecurity each of us have, wrote The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2, ESV). Each descriptive word relates to security that minimizes insecurity. What was it the Jewish leaders identified in Peter and John when they so confidently spoke of salvation through Jesus after the Jews had crucified Him? (Keep in mind before this they locked themselves in a room because of their fear of the Jewish leaders!) The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13, (NLT2). Being with the God-head results in a profound sense of security that over-powers insecurity. This is also clear in the prophets who spoke so boldly what God had told them to say to kings, religious leaders, and the rebellious people.
Jesus struck at the very heart of insecurity when He told the religious leaders You like to receive praise from one another, but you do not try to win praise from the one who alone is God; how, then, can you believe me (John 5:44, GNB)? How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God (John 5:44, ESV)? This is a profound spiritual truth. By linking one’s belief in Him with this level of insecurity is very sobering.
Self-confidence is what Satan and our culture commonly promote to cope or sedate insecurity. However, self-confidence is the arch-adversary of God-confidence, or confidence in Him to protect or provide for you. Self-confidence looks attractive until tragedy or incurable disease strike. Please understand, self-confidence will eventually separate you from God, as it did Adam and Eve. The early Hebrews provide a clear picture of this by their repeatedly trying to substitute their trust in God with trust in other nations or gods of their world. Self-confidence is another face of independence from God. Jesus’ word picture of building a house on shifting sand instead of a rock describes it well.
As Jesus said, doing whatever you can do to SEEK an intimate relationship with Him is the only sustainable source of identity, approval and affirmation to neutralize sin’s nature of insecurity. Investing serious time reflecting on what He teaches in His word, which necessarily includes conversing with Him, are the building blocks for an eternal bond with Him. That bond creates a great testimony to others, whether at our workplace, in our pleasure, service or family relationships.