Insecurity vs. Pride
Insecurity and pride: two extremes that
are both displeasing to God. They can also prevent us from serving
God to the fullest. Ironically, both extremes indicate a focus on
ourselves – often as compared to others – instead of a focus on
God. Reduced to its simplest terms, that is idolatry.
Perhaps the biggest problem with
insecurity is that it brings God down to our level. It says “I’m
so messed up and worthless that there is no way I can be useful to
God.” That kind of thinking puts all of the responsibility on us
and totally discounts the power of God. How many times do we read in
scripture that nothing is impossible with God? “Is anything too
difficult for me?” How many times in scripture did God use flawed,
imperfect, really messed up people? EVERY TIME! Start a list and
you’ll fill up this page. The amazing thing about God is that the
more messed up we are, the greater his glory shines when he makes
something beautiful of our lives. The more incapable we are to do a
task, the greater his glory when it is successful and furthers his
plan.
Insecurity is fear. We fear because we
focus on ourselves and what we are incapable of doing instead of God
and what he is capable of bringing about. He has not given us a
spirit of fear…that is from the enemy and a great lie to keep up
from serving the Lord as we are called to do.
"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God,
you will receive what he has promised." Hebrews 10:35-36
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him." Jeremiah 17:7
The opposite extreme is pride. That
too, focuses on us instead of God. It blinds us to the fact that
everything we have and are comes from and belongs to God, and is to
be used for his purpose. Pride leads us to put ourselves above
others, as better than they are. That is sin. We are to consider
others before ourselves. That takes humility and understanding our
relationship to God, and then others. Pride blinds us to our own
faults and weaknesses and denies that we need God for anything. Isn’t
God lucky to have someone like me taking care of things for him?
"The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and
humility comes before honor." Proverbs 15:33
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in
humility consider others better than yourselves." Philippians 2:3
Somewhere in the middle of these two
extremes is the right attitude that we all should seek. It is often
times a balancing act between pride and insecurity, and like every
other spiritual discipline, it requires that we stay close to the
Lord daily. God has given each of us talents and gifts to be used for
his kingdom. He does not expect mediocrity. He equips us to do great
works for his kingdom. To do that we need to know what our gifts and
talents are. We need to nurture them, practice using them, educate
ourselves and CONFIDENTLY use them. We are called to be bold for
Christ. If God has given you a gift – and he has – give it back
to him. Dedicate it to him and pray for his guidance in using it.
When people praise you for a talent or gift, use it as an opportunity
to praise God and give him the glory for it.
Be bold and confident,
not in yourself or in your gift, but in the God who gave it, sustains
it, and has chosen you to join him in his plan for the world. That is
always the purpose of our gifts, to use them for the glory of God and
to bring others into relationship with him. Praise and thank him
today for your gifts. If you don’t know what they are, ask him to
show you, and talk to mature Christians who know you and can help
lead you to discover what God has placed in you. Ask him to help you
use these gifts with confidence and power today. See what happens!
I am praying for you.
Sherri
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