“A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’” (Mark 4:37-38).
I begin each day with a resolution to walk in obedience to God, bearing the likeness of Jesus in my attitudes, words, and actions…
Then, I get out of bed and it all goes downhill from there.
Sly temptations tug at the rug beneath my spiritual feet as I journey through the day. Sometimes I recognize those familiar attacks, since the enemy lacks the creativity to concoct fresh slander. Sometimes the lies trip me as if I’d never stepped past them before.
Insecurity and fear remain the underlying themes of my derailments. Pride rears its ugly head as an offshoot of insecurity, too. I tried to impose humility on my thoughts as an antidote. Both my email addresses begin with “humble” to serve as a constant reminder. Yet, forced humility distorts itself into false humility, or even more often into self-denigration. Turns out, the opposite of pride isn’t humility.
Nor does self-assurance unseat fear. Each time I’ve tried to bolster confidence in myself or a favorable outcome in my circumstances, the emptiness of self-assurance soon caves beneath me like quicksand.
Praise the Lord, for He’s always good to provide the true solution to our sufferings, temptations, and shortcomings. In fact, He IS the answer. God defines Himself as LOVE. Divine love resolves the temptations of fear and its illegitimate offspring of pride. Dwelling in the love of God protects me from anything which would tempt harm to my everlasting well-being. The more I contemplate the Love of Christ, the less insecurity sticks to my ribs. Deepening my passion for the Lord repels pride.
He provides reminders of His solution to my fears in Scripture.
“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you” – Isaiah 43:4-5
“By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.” – Psalm42:8
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:9-13
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” – 1 John 4:18-19
Today, Hurricane Dorian creeps toward the eastern coast of the United States. The news media urges us to remain on the edge of our seats, even as the turn appears to shift out to sea. We’re encouraged to dwell in anxiety by the voices of our world. But the Lord assures us we can rest securely in Him. No matter what storms threaten our physical surroundings.
This season, I’m endeavoring to lay aside selfish insecurities and resolving to dwell in His Love. I’ll obey from a heart of passionate worship, give from a love that He first gave to me, and pray from a craving to remain in His Presence. With Christ’s help.
Do you have certain tips for anchoring your heart in the security of Christ’s love while the world howls around us to cast aside humility and crumble with fear? Please share your insights in the comments below.
May Divine Love guard your soul, saturate your mind, and gush from your heart today.
Be Encouraged,
Tina
P.S. Due to the distractions of our current storm, I’m extending the August review-a-thon through the month of September. If you’d like to review Beautiful Warrior to be entered into the contest, just post a link to your review on the Beautiful Warrior Facebook page so I will know to secure your entry. Each retailer site and Goodreads review you post makes you eligible for an additional entry, and prizes increase with the number of reviews. I appreciate your support and your prayers for those who might be affected by the winds and flooding.