Embracing God’s Grace in Insecurities
Right after I hit send on my email update to subscribers last week, I received a notice that someone unsubscribed. I don’t know why, but it really got me down. It wasn’t someone I knew. It was likely someone whose inbox is overflowing, just like mine. I’m sure it had nothing to do with me personally, I unsubscribe from things all the time. But boy did I take it personally.
I started obsessing. Was it something I said? Did I do something wrong? Do I look fat in these clothes? Ok, that last one doesn’t relate to my blog. But it is an ongoing question that always runs around in my head. You probably have a lot of crazy thoughts up in that beautiful noggin’ of yours too, am I right? Thankfully, I had coffee scheduled with a dear friend right after the news popped up on my smartphone and she gave me the best piece of advice: “You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. Disable that notification right away!” So that’s what I did. I’m so glad I listened.
It’s hard sharing your heart sometimes, isn’t it?
It’s hard to share our hearts, especially our insecurities with big and little loves in our lives sometimes, isn’t it? It’s often heartbreaking when you feel brushed off, or unheard. Especially when it’s the people closest to you. But when the strangers have a say in making or breaking your day, you know it’s time to take stock in what you place your worth in. It took me a good half hour to figure out how to disable those notifications, but I did.
I felt free. Free from judgment, worry and all the chatter that can happen upside in my head. The doubts, the nagging insecurities, the fear. Even the paranoia that can spread like wildfire when you add a little fuel to an already burning fire.
Do you ever have totally insecure moments?
When you feel shunned? Defeated? Ignored? Worn down? The fear of speaking up upholds you back from being all that God created you to be?
In the middle of all the messiness of life, we can cling to Jesus and embrace His beautiful gift of grace.
How often do we hand our value over to the people in our lives? Whether it’s our coworkers, neighbors, siblings, friends, kids or spouses, we often root our identity in who we are as a mom, a wife, a worker, a sister, a friend. And when the little and big people in our lives mess up and say things that hurt, or don’t affirm us in the way our hearts desire, our stock as a human being comes crashing down around us.
Disable that crazy thinking right away!
We place our value in all of the wrong things. Even when going really good, priorities often mix up. We often place the people in our lives before the One Who Gave Us Life. And when we do this, it often leaves us running on empty, with nothing left to give.
We need to remember to remain rooted in our identity as a Child of the King.
We need to fuel up with King Jesus. So that way when we are having a bad day, or the little or big people in our lives are living out their sin nature, or the house is a mess and that Bible study or playgroup is showing up in 10 minutes, we can pause, reset and cling to Truth.
Cling to the Ultimate Truth from the Ultimate Truth Maker.
You are unique, fearfully and wonderfully made {Proverbs 139:13-17}
You are worthy and redeemed {Romans 3:24, 1 Cor 1:30, Ephesians 2:10}
And… You are a child of the one true king {Galatians 3:26-27; 2 Cor 6:18; Ephesians 1:5-6}
Somehow, even if it was just a brief moment in time, my value came from that one person who unsubscribed. My stock plummeted, so did my feeling of worth. I don’t know why, but it hurt.
Their viewpoint of me became more important than the calling that King Jesus has placed in my heart.
Which is silly, because after obsessively trying to figure out if she was anyone I knew, I realized it didn’t matter (she wasn’t) because her actions shouldn’t dictate my day or my heart.
Other 2018 Summer Sizzle Postings:
How to Build a Consistent Prayer Life.
What Christian Bloggers wish you knew.
6 Characteristics to Build Christian Friendships
Embrace The Grace Challenge…
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What things and/or people to you place your worth in?
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Does your worth/value as a human being plummet when these things and/or people do not meet your expectations?
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In the wise words of my beautiful friend, you don’t need that kind of negativity in your life. So what can you do today to place Jesus as the top priority and celebrate that your most precious title on this earth is “Child of the One True King.”
Receive God’s Grace!
Nicki Schroeder is a Christian radio personality in the Midwest. She is the creator of “The Grace Challenge,” Bible encouragement to help you glorify Jesus in the middle of your busy, beautiful life. Nicki is a writer and speaker who strives for authenticity in her relationship with Jesus and others. She is a soul encourager who loves coffee, cupcakes and Jesus, just not in that order. Visit her for weekly encouragement at www.nickischroeder.com.
This is well said in this age of so much confusion and judgement and where we place are value you are right on thank you
Excellent article Nicki! You already know that I can relate to the feelings of insecurity. I don’t know why we let others’ opinions of us effect us like we do? It seems silly- especially when it’s someone we don’t even know. And yet, those things still cut deep sometimes.
We need to be deeply rooted in the things of God and His opinion of us. We are all the better for it, when we do!
Yes, Amen! When we are deeply rooted in the word of God then nothing else but only His word matters!
I used to hand over my worth to those who criticised me and hurt me.
But we are created in the image of God – so how can we be worthless ? This thought revived me 🙂
I love this post by Nicki because we should “ cling to the ultimate truth by the ultimate Truth Maker “