Why Do We Feel Insecure?

​Sometimes we feel inadequate. Comparing ourselves to our neighbors can leave us feeling poor, unintelligent, fat, weak, old, or incapable. God has never called these things bad, but we do, and we work hard to cover them up. Behold the gigantic cosmetic industry.
 
We hide, puff ourselves up to make ourselves feel big, and put others down. Instead of accepting our mistakes, we blame others and God.
 
Look at Adam and Eve. Initially, they were happy in the Garden of Eden, open to and accepted by God, each other, and themselves. Then they ignored what God told them and became their own judges. They were afraid and they hid (Genesis 3:8, 10). They also blamed others. Adam blamed Eve and God for putting Eve there (Genesis 3:12). Eve blamed the serpent and indirectly God for putting the serpent there (Genesis 3:13).
 
Totally distracted, they missed their main mistake, which was disobeying God.
 
How to get out?
 
Assess ourselves soberly and accurately (Romans 12:3). Then, we will see we are broken. We have rebelled against God (Romans 3:23).
 
But through Christ, God has accepted us as His children (Ephesians 1:5,7-8), destined to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4). Nothing could separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). Not just loving us, God delights in us (Zephaniah3:17). With the almighty loving us so much, we shouldn’t be afraid and insecure (Romans8:31-32).
 
Further, in Christ, we belong to a body (Romans12:4-5). As different parts of the body, we have our different strengths and weaknesses, serving different functions (Romans12:6-8).
 
Our strengths are God’s gifts. There is no room for pride. Discover our strengths and use them diligently and effectively.
 
Our weaknesses help us be more interdependent and humble. There is no room to feel inferior.
 
Carefully identify our strengths and our weaknesses to find our role.
 
In conclusion, know that we are broken. But through Christ, we are accepted as God’s beloved children. So, be strong and courageous. Identify our strengths and weaknesses to work as a team to love God and others.
 
Summarized from Section Three of Chip Ingram’s book, True Spirituality: Becoming a Romans 12 Christian.
 

 
为什么我们无安全感？
 
这可能是因为我们感到不足。 与邻居相比, 我们有时会觉得贫穷，愚蠢，肥胖，虚弱，苍老, 或缺乏能力。上帝从来没有称这些事为坏事。但我们会，还会试图掩盖它们的存在。看看庞大的化妆品行业。
 
我们隐藏自己，让自己感觉优越，然后看不起别人。我们没有接受自己的错误，却责怪别人和天父。
 
看看亚当和夏娃。
 
最初，他们在伊甸园中感到高兴，坦然接受上帝，互相和他们自己。
 
然后他们忽略了神告诉他们的事。
 
他们成了自己的裁判。隐藏起来因他们害怕（创世纪 3：8, 10）。 他们也指责别人。亚当责备夏娃，也责怪上帝把夏娃放在伊甸园里（创世纪 3：12）。夏娃归咎于蛇和间接怪神好把蛇放在那里（创世纪 3：13）。
 
完全离开了重点，忽视了最重要的错误，这就是不跟随上帝告诉他们的事。
 
应该怎么做？
 
应真而准确地评估自己 （罗马书 12：3）。然后，我们会看到我们的破碎。我们背叛了上帝（罗马书3：23）。
 
但是通过基督，上帝接受了我们作为祂的孩子 (以弗所书 1：5, 7-8), 注定是圣洁无瑕的 （以弗所书 1：4）。没有什么可将我们与祂的爱分开（罗马书 8：38-39）。不仅爱我们，上帝也喜欢我们 （西番雅书  3：17）。全能的神那样爱我们，我们为何感觉害怕和不安（罗马书 8：31-32）？
 
而且，在基督里，我们属于一体（罗马书 12：4-5）。作为身体的不同部位，我们有不同的优点和缺点，来做不同的事情 （罗马书 12：6-8）。
 
我们的优点是上帝的礼物。但不要自豪得意。我们应当发掘我们的优点。 有效和努力地利用它们。
 
我们的弱点可帮我们更加懂得相互依赖和谦逊，当然不要自卑自怜。
 
仔细确定我们的优点和弱点，找到我们的角色。
 
总之，知道我们是破碎的。但是通过基督，我们被接受成为天父的孩子。神爱我们。所以，要坚强勇敢。根据我们的优点和缺点，团结一致，爱天父和他人, 为上帝和他人服务。