So Long, Insecurity

Let me share with you one of the most profound things I've ever read:

He knows it's scary to be us. Yes, beloved, He does. He does not take lightly that some of us were raised in a veritable madhouse. He does not take lightly that some of us have been mentally berated or physically beaten or sexually abused or simply abandoned. He does not take lightly that some of us are still trying to recover from that midnight phone call. He does not take lightly that some of us were born with legs that don't work. Or eyes that can't see. Or ears that can't hear. He does not take lightly that some of us have endured the cancer treatment of our very own children. He does not take lightly that some of us, Lord help us, have buried our own children. He knows it's scary to be us. Son of David, have mercy on us! It's almost too much to bear here at times, Lord. No wonder we're insecure. The thunder crashes in the heavens and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon, and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "It is finished!" Because He did, one day God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of those who trusted Him, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will pass away and all our hardship will be finished.

I'm reading this book by Beth Moore titled, So Long, Insecurity: You've Been a Bad Friend to Us. Can I admit something to you, my friends? I am an insecure person to the extreme. It controls every aspect, every facet, every detail of my life. I am a slave locked in it's prison, and no matter how very hard I've tried in the past, I have not been able to break free. For as long as I can remember (ok really, from about the sixth grade), I have battled this evil. Actually, battled is not exactly the right word, succumbed would be better. And I am confident about this one thing, if not much else, that insecurity is a disease that has spread through the hearts and minds of almost every girl I know. Girls, you need to read this book. If you've ever hated the fact that you lack self-confidence, if your motivation, passion, joy, peace, dreams, hope have ever been shattered, if you're ruled by self-doubt, self-condemnation, and self-pity(like me), I implore you from the depths of my own insecurity-torn soul, to read this book and let God heal you of that.

Let me share with you the back jacket of the book:

You're considering this book because you saw the word insecurity... and all your buried insecurities surfaced. You know you're insecure. So either you rushed to snatch the book up, not caring who saw, or you casually strolled over, hoping no one would see you as you slyly picked it up. You know you need help. You're not alone...Whoever you are, this book is for you, because you have it in you to be secure.

Honestly, I'm only about half-way finished with it, but I've already laughed, cried, empathized, realized, and surrendered. Because of the great, all-encompassing, compassionate love of our God, we can be free of this burden. I can be free of this burden. For years I've struggled with questions such as: Am I pretty enough? Am I a good enough friend? Am I a good enough sister? Am I a good enough daughter? Am I a good enough writer? Do I possess a good enough personality? Do people like me? Am I thin/fit enough? And more recently: Am I a good enough wife? Am I a good enough teacher? Am I a good enough cook?

Frankly, it's exhausting. I'm fed up with it. It's crippling. It's preventing me from fulfilling my purpose for my life. It's preventing me from being myself, who God wants me to be, who He designed me to be, who He knows I can be. I'm beginning many new journeys at this time of my life, and God help me, I'm not going to be shackled by my insecurity any longer.

So, ladies, whether you're starting a new job, deciding which path to take next in your life, continuing your education in a different field, beginning to share your life with someone else through marriage, completing grad school, moving to a different city, living in a new city, or if you're just a female in general, there is a book for you, there is hope for you, and God will aid you in vanquishing whatever insecurity you have and make you a Conqueror in Christ.

www.solonginsecurity.com