“We misplace our glory when we feel insecure”

I heard a teaching recently from Tim Keller on anxiety, worry, insecurity. One of the key phrases that stuck out to me was when he was recounting the 3rd Psalm where David proclaims that His glory is in God alone. Dr. Keller went on to say that when our glory, attention, affection, expectation is placed on anything or anyone other than God – it is to our own demise.

We misplace our glory when we seek approval from anyone but God.

We misplace our glory when we cling tightly to things and people and experiences.

We misplace our glory when our reputation in the eyes of others matters more.

We misplace our glory when our gifts consume us as though they somehow define us.

We misplace our glory when our circumstance defines our security.

We misplace our glory when our identity is wrapped up in anything other than Him and Him alone.

We find our glory in Him.

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:3

In the Greek, glory means opinion and honor. In Hebrew it breaks down to the same definitions but then I came across these lovely words – abundance, richness.

The richness, abundance and honor of who you are depends on who you place it in. I don’t know about you but leaving the abundance and richness of the entirety of my being in the opinions of frail human beings seems quite limiting. Leaving the abundance and richness of my being within the framework of a fallen world seems weak.

However, resting the entirety of my being, purpose and abundance within the hands of an all powerful God who created the heavens and the earth with the very tones of his voice – well that seems secure amidst all that is insecure.

I thought about this because I was recently consoling my daughter as she was sorting through her feelings and insecurities about a classmate who in her mind ‘didn’t like her’. I understood where she was, I’ve been there myself more times than I care to admit. I know the feeling when another has rejected your being, doesn’t understand you, or just simply doesn’t like you. We talked about how it made her feel but then we talked about the truth.

Do you know she doesn’t like you? Even if she doesn’t – does that make you any less valuable?

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:31

Does it change who you are? Does it change whose you are?

We went on to talk about how she is precious in the Lords sight, about how there will be people who don’t like us and that is okay because the Lord loves us. We talked about how there will be disappointments. We talked about how life changes a lot, just like the seasons.

Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it’s sunny.

Sometimes there are clouds. Sometimes there are thunderstorms.

Sometimes we feel like playing. Sometimes we feel like hiding.

Sometimes we feel as though we are seen. Sometimes we feels as though we are hidden.

People change, experiences change, relationships change, seasons change. hopes change and dreams change.

We are challenged by the changes of life. We are challenged by the unsteadiness of life, the ups, downs, the changes that throw you for a loop – it changes…it changes and yet

The Lord never changes.

The Lord never fails.

The Lord never forgets His own.

The Lord remains the same. Unmoved. Unfailing. Unchangeable. Unbreakable.

He is our still in the storm.

He is the rock in our moving waters.

He is the haven for our changing hearts to settle.

He is the security amidst all that is insecure around us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

So we place our glory in Him.

Perhaps like my daughter or me something is making you insecure today…a something, a someone, a what if …rest assured of this today.

The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

We are safe when we run to Him.