Insecurity is not humility. Humility says "I am not perfect, but God is helping me."
Insecurity says "I am not enough, I will never be enough, everybody is better than me."
Many people are anointed but insecurity is caging them. Many marriages, ministries, and careers are suffering not because of enemies, but because of insecurity inside.
Check yourself honestly with these 5 signs:
1. YOU ARE ALWAYS COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS — AND YOU ALWAYS FEEL LESS.
You see someone's car, you feel bad.
You see someone's marriage on Facebook, you feel your own is failing.
You see someone preaching better, singing better, dressing better — and immediately you feel small.
2 Corinthians 10:12 — "They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
If your mood rises and falls based on what others have or do, you have an insecurity problem. Secure people celebrate others without feeling threatened.
2. YOU OVER-EXPLAIN, OVER-APOLOGIZE, OR YOU CANNOT ACCEPT A COMPLIMENT.
Someone says "You look beautiful today" — you say "No, no, it's just old clothes, I didn't even try."
Someone says "You preached well" — you say "No, I messed up, I was confused."
You say "sorry" for everything, even when you are not wrong, just to be accepted.
Insecurity makes you believe if people REALLY knew you, they would reject you. So you keep apologizing for existing.
A secure person says "Thank you" and gives glory to God.
3. YOU GET EASILY OFFENDED, JEALOUS, OR YOU TRY TO PULL OTHERS DOWN TO FEEL BETTER.
An insecure person cannot stand to see another person shine.
If your friend is promoted, instead of joy you feel pain.
If someone corrects you lovingly, you see it as attack and you keep malice for weeks.
You gossip about people who are doing better than you to make yourself feel higher.
That is not the devil. That is insecurity speaking: "If they go up, I will be left behind."
Secure people are not jealous. They know God has a unique path for each person — Jeremiah 29:11.
4. YOU ARE AFRAID TO TRY, AFRAID TO SPEAK, OR YOU ALWAYS NEED PEOPLE TO VALIDATE YOU BEFORE YOU MOVE.
You have a business idea, but you will not start until 10 people say "go ahead."
You want to speak in meeting, but fear says "what if they laugh at you?"
You stay in a toxic relationship because you think "If this person leaves me, nobody else will want me."
Insecurity keeps you in the prison of "What will people say?"
2 Timothy 1:7 — "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
If fear of people's opinion controls your decisions more than God's Word, insecurity is driving you.
5. YOU BRAG TOO MUCH OR YOU HIDE TOO MUCH — TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN.
Some insecure people hide — they never post, never talk, never show up, because they feel worthless.
Others over-brag — every conversation is "I, I, I, my car, my house, my anointing, I bought, I did." They need to impress to feel important.
Both are insecurity. One hides because "I am nothing." One brags because "Please see that I am something."
A secure person doesn't need to hide or to brag. They know who they are in Christ — 1 Peter 2:9 — "You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood."
HOW TO COME OUT OF IT:
A. Return to your identity in Christ. You are not what people say. You are what God says you are. Study Ephesians 1 and 2 every day for 30 days. Write down who you are in Christ.
B. Stop comparing. Start celebrating your own little progress. Your race is different. Hebrews 12:1.
C. Heal from childhood wounds. Many insecurities started when you were told "you are useless, you will never amount to anything." Forgive those who wounded you and let God father you now. Psalm 27:10.
D. Surround yourself with secure people who speak life, not those who mock you.
E. Take small bold steps. Speak up in that meeting. Start that small business. Post that godly content. Courage kills insecurity.
You are not insecure because you are weak. You are insecure because you have forgotten how valuable you are to God.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made — Psalm 139:14.
God is not ashamed to call you His child.
Walk like it.
Pst Edward Freedom
Lifeboat Rescuing Church, Bariga, Lagos.
#HealingFromInsecurity #IdentityInChrist #YouAreEnough
