security

Since we got back from our service project in Greece I have been meeting weekly with a group of amazing high school girls.  Seriously- they are the most amazing young ladies and I am so blessed to know them and be able to share my life with them and I am thrilled to know that they also have each other to live life along side of!
We have been talking about insecurity.  I think it's something we ALL struggle with.  Maybe we think once we are out of high school it will end?  Or maybe when we are out of college?  Or when we get our first job?  or get married? or buy our first house?  The reality is that unless we find our security in something other than these things we will NEVER be secure.  Because degrees and jobs and spouses will always let us down.  They are like shifting ground and if I am trying to find my security in them I will fall.  I need to find my security in something that doesn't move or change.  The only thing I can imagine that will never change is God.  That is what we have been looking at these last few weeks.  Finding our security in the arms of a loving God.  Though other things may come and go.  They may fail me and let me down.  they may cause me to FEAR rejection or failure.  but finding my security in Christ's love gives me FREEDOM.  You may know one of my favorite verses is from 1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love.  But perfect live drives out fear"
I was in Spain a few weeks ago for our Young Life regional conference and one of the speakers was talking about a time when he realized that his beliefs about God being good were being tested and as they were put through the fire the "dross" was being brought to the surface and his true thoughts about who God was were being brought to the surface.  And those thoughts were not what he thought-the reality was that he didn't believe God was good because if he did he would act differently.
As we have been talking about insecurity/security the dross of my thoughts about life and God have been brought to the surface.  I am realizing that I often look for my security in things other than God and then I get frustrated because they fail.  When I look for my security in other things I FEAR.  I fear failure, rejection, disappointment.  And often those fears keep me from doing things or pursuing relationships.  So this week I am trying to fill me thoughts with the TRUTH of God and His control of all things and I am trying to get rid of the lies that the world often tells me about finding my security in passing things.

Just a fun pic from my time in Spain.  This is the Young Life Madrid crew and me-I am an honorary member since I have been to more of THEIR staff meetings than my own(joke-I am the only one on staff in BXL so I don't have staff meetings-in case you didn't get that)