I am an insecure person. I spend much of my internal life doubting myself, my decisions, my abilities. I suspect you are the same. If you are an extravert, you may cover it up with bravado, but I have a feeling you are just compensating for that voice inside your head incessantly telling you – “You can’t do it” or “You’re not good enough”. And the truth is – that inner voice is right. You can’t do it in yourself. You’re not good enough in yourself.
If you watch enough kid’s television, you will come across a major theme – “You are special – there’s nothing you can’t do if you set your mind to it.” This is one way of combating insecurity, but is it really helpful? Is it true? Let’s explore this a little deeper.
Insecurity and Pride
I recently came across a quote that really started to make me think about this issue:
“Insecurity is a form of pride.”
I think I have often confused my insecurities with being a form of humility, rather than pride. I’ve told myself that I’m considering others above myself. But in reality, I’m considering myself much more than the others around me. I’m comparing myself, and if I don’t measure up – I despair. I am self-consumed, and this is not humility. As C.S. Lewis said, ‘True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.’ And insecurity, at its essence, is a fixation on self.
When I really search the depths of my heart, I realize I want to succeed in my own strength. I want to be special, and more importantly I want others to think I’m special. Meanwhile, I am ignoring the opinion of the one voice that truly matters – the person who I was created for, the God of the universe.
“For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” – Phil 3:3
Confidence in the Flesh
Contrary to kid’s television, the gospel tells us that we are not good enough (Eph 2:1-3). By our very nature, we have fallen short of who we were made to be (Rom 3:23). Left to our own strength we are doomed to destruction. If we put our confidence in our flesh – we will always let ourself down.
Wait a minute, I thought this article was about how I shouldn’t be insecure? Yes, it is and we’re getting there. As Len Finn said two Sunday’s ago at St. George’s – “the two greatest words in scripture are “But God”.
We were not made to exist alone. We were made to be intertwined with God himself. And when Adam and Eve chose rebellion over communion with God in the garden – we as humans were cut off from togetherness with God. Apart from the strength and goodness of God we will never be good enough.
Christ In Us
But this is not the end of the story. Jesus has made a way for us to have restored communion with God (Eph 2:13). In Christ, we are able to be unified with God (1 Cor 6:17). In fact God himself, in the form of His Spirit, lives inside of us as Christians (1 Cor 3:16). This is where our confidence comes from – not from our own flesh, but from Christ in us.
“The answer to our insecurities is not somehow convincing ourselves that we are ‘special’, the answer is trusting in the specialness of Christ, who lives in us.”
So what does this all mean? It means that as Christians, when we are insecure, we are in fact doubting not our own adequacy, but the adequacy of Christ. Does this change the way you think about your insecurities? I know it does for me.
The answer to our insecurities is not somehow convincing ourselves that we are “special”, the answer is trusting in the specialness of Christ, who lives in us. We aren’t good enough, but He is the essence of all that is good. We can’t do it alone, but we can do all things in Him who gives us strength (Phil 4:13). We need to stop thinking about ourselves and our inadequacies, and start thinking about Him and his supreme adequacy.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Gal 2:20
If you are a Christian, the truth is you have died and been raised to new life in Christ. He lives in you. You have been reconciled with the Father (Eph 2:16). You were unworthy, but Christ has made you worthy (1 Cor 1:30). You were broken, but Christ has healed your brokenness (1 Peter 2:24). That feeling of inadequacy that has plagued you your whole life stemmed out of your soul’s recognition that it was never meant to exist in isolation. It was meant to be empowered and made whole by togetherness with the God of the Universe.
“That feeling of inadequacy that has plagued you your whole life stemmed out of your soul’s recognition that it was never meant to exist in isolation.”
Christ Can
Knowing the truth of who you are is liberating. Something can be true about yourself, but until you realize that it is true and accept the truth, it won’t change the way you live, think, and feel. Accept who you are in Christ. Live in His strength.
The next time that inner voice, the voice of the accuser, tells you that you can’t do it – respond with “Yes, but Christ can, and He is in me and I am in Him.”
Tell this truth to your fears, your insecurities, your doubts – I am weak, but in Him I am strong. There’s no reason to dwell on ourselves and our insecurities, because our old self is dead. Instead, let’s start dwelling on the supremacy of Christ – who is our new life.
