Who me? Insecure?

This morning, I read a portion of Psalm 40 and there was one phrase in particular that caught my attention:

 

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.  He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. (NRSV)

 

Perhaps you’ve known people whose insecurity had a way of getting in the way. 

 

• The person who regularly reminds us of his accomplishments and abilities.
• The woman who insists that most of her friends are scheming against her.
• The guy who is still reliving his high school football years (in his late 30’s).
• The control freak who trys to micro-manage everything that he is involved with (thinking of course that he doesn’t). 
• The person who is asked to serve in a leadership role and his insecurities won’t allow him to listen to people in his company who know more about particular aspects of the work.

 

But wait a minute–this isn’t just about other people.  I have insecurities as well.  (If you don’t you may want to skip this post–hmmmm).  Mine have a way of slipping out at times. Like hearing an old song on the radio, I will suddenly remember some long forgotten (I thought) feeling from years ago.  While I might forget to pick up an item at Walmart (Charlotte reminded me an hour ago), I might not forget a painful conversation that occurred over twenty years ago.  Suddenly, I can remember every word, look, expression, etc.  I can recall every feeling of injustice or embarrassment that went along with that.  The insecurity that I might have felt at the time becomes real all over again.

 

The Lord makes "my steps secure."  I have found that the only real and lasting security is what the Lord brings to my life.  Security is not to be found from looking within.  (That sounds nice but I can find too many reasons to feel totally insecure by looking within).

 

My security is not found by looking outward.  Oh I know, there are certain things that might make me feel secure.   Maybe I could have some of the following:

• The right address ("You live where?  Oh my.")
• The right car (the kind that make heads turn)
• The right appearance ("Wow, I hope I look like you when I’m your age")
• The right family ("Yes, our daughter is really stressed.  She can’t decide between Duke and Harvard.")

 

Careful!  All of these may just be illusions of security.

 

Real security is not found from with from within or from without.  Real security is found in God.  He is the one who can make "my steps secure."  He is the only one who I can count on for real security.  He places my feet upon a rock where I won’t fall.  When everything around me is shaking and giving way, the rock under me never moves.

 

Do you know what I have found to be so freeing?  It is so freeing to come to a point where you feel like you don’t have to prove anything to people.  (I haven’t always felt that way.  That is for sure.)  It is not because I have an over inflated view of myself.  It is not because of apathy.  Rather, it is because of a confidence in the one who brings a security that is far better than someone else’s approval.

 

Maybe, this kind of security is why the writer can say, "Happy are those who make the Lord their trust…" (40:4).