An excerpt from Live to Love: Experience Freedom and Joy in Relationships
by Norm Wakefield

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     In a fallen world where everything temporal shifts and changes, we should expect to battle with insecurity. Insecurity is uncertainty or anxiety about oneself; lack of confidence; it’s the state of being open to danger or threat; lack of protection. Unstable, rickety, rocky, wobbly, and shaky are synonyms for insecurity. At some time or another, we all feel insecure. What does insecurity have to do with love? It hinders the flow of love.

     Insecure people live in fear and therefore are constantly hindered in their ability to love others. Intentionally living to love with Jesus places us in a safe space where we know we are loved by God, no matter what happens, and we trust in His presence and power to love in any situation or relationship. His love never changes or fails. That’s security! God’s Word provides a secure place to live to those who trust in Him for all things and abide in His love. When we know we are secure in Christ, that He is our strength and our shield, we trust in Him, just as the Scripture says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him” (Psalm 28:7). We rejoice in the truth from Colossians 2:10 that we are complete in Christ. “And in Him you have been made  complete, and He is the head  over all rule and authority.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 encourages us that His grace is sufficient for all of our needs in any circumstance. “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with  persecutions, with difficulties,  for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Now that’s security!

    Bill and Gloria Gaither, popular Christian songwriters, wrote a song that really speaks to our insecurities.

I am loved. I am loved. I can risk loving you, for the One who knows me best, loves me most. I am loved. You are loved. Won’t you please take my hand? We are free to love each other. We are loved.¹

     When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the presence, power, and love of Christ, we are free from insecurity and are able to live to love with Jesus, amply supplied by the fullness of His love. I hope you’ll be encouraged today to settle into the wonderful love of God that cannot be taken away from you because it isn’t dependent on anything in or around you in this world. Paul wrote to the Romans, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). I am loved. You are loved. We can live to love with Jesus when we abide in His love. Being secure in His love enables us to live to love with Him which frees us from insecurity. Praise the Lord!

Sources:

1. Bill Gaither and Gloria Gaither, “I Am Loved,”  MetroLyrics (website), www. metrolyrics.com/i-am-loved-lyrics-gaither-vocal-band.html.