Skip to Content
Back to All
Identity, Self-Image

Secure, Safe, and Cherished in Christ

As summer ended, I planned one last Bible study with my youth girls, complete with homemade ice cream. The ice cream was a complete fail, though, never thickening as it should. I laughed it off and offered milkshakes, but these ministry failures often cause insecurities to arise in my heart. Even if things go as planned, they’re still present, and I question every word I said. I wonder, “Did I say the right thing? Maybe I should’ve said ____ instead of _____?”

Ministry is just one of many things that cause insecurities. Ultimately, this is a result of the Fall. Before it, Adam and Eve had perfect fellowship with God and one another, so there was no reason to question things. Now, though Christ dealt with our biggest issue (sin) on the cross, we still struggle to root our worth in Him. 

Truthfully, the main character of my insecure self-dialogue is me. I focus on myself, worrying about how a situation makes me look. John 3:33 reminds us Christ must increase, and we must decrease. Therefore, instead of making much of me, I’m to make much of Him. Indeed, Christ is the main antidote for insecurity. To truly understand our worth, we must first understand how worthy Christ Himself is.

The entire Bible speaks to this, and the Psalms are an excellent place to begin. Here are a few to meditate on:

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” —Psalm 9:1-4

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” —Psalm 19:1

“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” —Psalm 34:1-3

Meditating on God’s character fills my heart with worship for Him and empties it of self-centered insecurities. The same God who set His glory above the heavens loves us and wants a relationship with us. Focusing on who God is puts who we are into perspective. The God of the universe is for us, so we have no reason to be insecure (Rom. 8:31-39). 

We’re quick to forget, but God isn’t surprised by this. Jesus’ blood covers our insecurities and His Word speaks to them. When I forget who I am in Christ, these are Scripture-saturated Truths I cling to:

In Christ, I’m redeemed, adopted, chosen, and more (Eph. 1:3-14).

Identity struggles and insecurities often go hand-in-hand. These verses speak to who Christ says we are. It’s this Christ-given identity I repeat to myself in order to root my worth in Christ.

Christ’s peace is to rule our hearts (Col. 3:15)

When insecurities rule, I’m easily shaken by my own weaknesses and others’ opinions. When Christ is on the throne, His peace rules. Isn’t that much better than insecurity? May we keep the Prince of Peace on His rightful throne.

Our aim is to please God, not man (Gal. 1:10).

I’m a recovering people-pleaser. That knot grows in my stomach because I’m concerned with pleasing man. Though I fumble through my words during small group or plan an event that’s a total bust, the question is, “Was my aim to please the Lord?” If the answer is yes, and I was faithful to him and his Word, then my heart can rest secured in that.

The gospel is our hope in salvation and in our every day (Rom. 8:1).

Sometimes, insecurities stem out of our own sin. Satan loves to remind us of failures and wants us to wallow in shame. When this happens, we must preach the gospel to ourselves.

  • We remember God loved us so much that while we were sinners, He paid the penalty for our sin on the cross.

  • We remember we’re not condemned (Rom. 8:1). Christ clothes us in his righteousness, and that’s what the Father sees when he looks at us. Reflecting on this is a sure way to base our security in Christ!

  • We remember who God is and who that makes us rather than the opinions of Satan and the world. Since the God of the universe sees us the way He does, then does it matter how people might view us?

The girls we pour into face their own insecurities, and we’re to come alongside them in this. These same truths apply to them too. However, we must practice what we preach. We won’t be perfect, but we must battle to secure ourselves in Christ before we can urge our girls to do the same.

Satan uses insecurities so we question the Lord, lack peace, and hold back on what God calls us to do. We must cling to the truth, “For I am His, and He is mine!” (from the song “In Christ Alone”). Our Almighty Father firmly secures us in His hands (John 10:28). Sisters, let’s fix our eyes on Christ. He’ll adjust our vision to rightly see who we are in Him. In Christ alone, we’re secured, valued, and worthy, all for the sake of making His glorious name famous!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

PATTILLO-45-Cassie-Pattillo

Cassie Pattillo is a wife to Jack, and mama to Hunter (5), Isaac (3), and is in the process of adopting from India. Jack is a student pastor, so she loves serving alongside him and investing in teens’ lives. She is passionate about biblical literacy along with writing and teaching about Scripture. She is also a big fan of slow mornings with a cup of coffee, a good book on the beach, and Gamecock football. Connect with Cassie: Blog // Facebook // Instagram