Introduction

No one really knows what the future holds. That can easily create insecurity in our hearts. But insecurity is not just about the future. Sometimes we can be paralyzed by so many uncertainties in life that we fail to move forward according to God’s will. We often say “No” when we can in fact say “Yes” because we are so insecure about ourselves. Only by standing on the promises of God can we overcome our insecurity in order to say “Yes” to God. But how do we do that? (1 Cor 1:26-2:5)

Three Steps to Overcome Our Insecurity

1. *Acknowledge* it. (1 Cor 1:26) – The first step to overcoming anything negative is to acknowledge it. To “acknowledge” something is not just to say it verbally. We need to accept its reality also. Sometimes we tell people about our weaknesses but deep down we are not really acknowledging them. We just want people to feel sorry for us. Or we want to make excuses not to try something new or challenging. To acknowledge a weakness, we must be willing to face it and yet not allow it to limit us.
2. *Appreciate* it. (1 Cor 1:27-31) – There’s a reason why we have weaknesses. God wants us to focus on Him, not on ourselves. If we focus on ourselves, we either become proud or insecure. Either way, the attention is on us, not on God. But we can appreciate the fact that we have weaknesses so that we can rely on God alone. He will get all the glory and not us.
3. *Act* in spite of it. (1 Cor 2:1-5) – The final step in overcoming our insecurity is to act in spite of our weaknesses or fears. This is the only way to move forward. Otherwise, we will always be a slave to our feelings. We need to do what God wants us to do even though we are afraid that we might fail. Our focus must be on the sufficiency and power of God, not on our weaknesses. This is what it means to stand on the promises of God.

Conclusion

1. Our *insecurity* is an *opportunity* to rely on God’s *sufficiency*.
2. Focusing on ourselves only increases our insecurity. Focusing on God’s sufficiency increases our confidence.
3. Say “yes” to something you feel insecure about and trust God to use you in spite of your insecurity.

Discussion

1. When do you sometimes feel insecure about yourself?
2. What have you learned today that can help you overcome your insecurity?
3. What would you do differently from now on to apply what you’ve learned?