A Thief in the Night

Have you ever been somewhere and felt like an outsider? Maybe everyone is chatting and you feel like you have nothing significant to contribute. Maybe you're the new person to a group or event. Maybe you're the one not invited to an event with mutual colleagues or friends. What do those moments make you feel?

I remember one time in fourth grade, I was so ready for warm weather. I lived in northern Illinois and the winters get pretty long. The first moment it was above 60 degrees we were always ready to bust out swimsuits and flip flops! During that particular spring of 4th grade, I had gotten a brand new pair of shorts and a shirt to match. I loved it so much. The moment it was slightly warm, I busted out that outfit and wore it to school. I was so excited for that warm day to wear it for the first time. I wore it so proudly. As we know, spring weather can be fickle. I had that shorts and shirt on, playing on the swings on the swing set. I remember feeling disappointed to feel a little chilly, that it really wasn't as warm as I had hoped. The most profound feeling I had at that moment was....insecurity. It sounds strange, but wearing the wrong outfit made me feel like a fool. My pride and confidence in wearing an outfit I loved suddenly turned to shame and embarrassment. Maybe it sounds silly now; my older self would say, don't worry about it, girl! Wear that outfit proud! But when insecurity creeps in, everything else can fall apart.

To me, the worst emotion- more than anger, fear, anxiety, sadness- is insecurity. All of the aforementioned emotions are strong ones, but they are usually born out of insecurity.

A girl wearing an outfit that suddenly makes her feel insecure, leads to sadness.

A friend not being invited to a party makes that individual feel insecure in the friendship, and that leads to anxiety or anger.

A mom disciplining her child in public and feeling like everyone is watching and judging can make her feel insecure, which can lead to shame.

A man talking with another woman can leave his girlfriend feeling insecure in their relationship, which can lead to envy.

See how insecurity breeds a lot of other nasty feelings?

It steals your joy.

It steals your motivation.

It steals your boldness.

It steals your purpose.

That is exactly what the devil is hoping for.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

And if that’s not enough, he is intent on finding you off guard. What throws us off guard more than anything? Suddenly feeling insecure, questioning everything.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NLT

The hard truth is that we do have an enemy that wants nothing more than to make us miserable. He is ready to twist that insecurity in your mind into a big, huge deal. He is most likely feeding that insecurity in the first place. He is ready to see the life get sucked right out of you in despair. Why?

Because he wants to see God lose. 

But God can’t lose. And never will. Jesus dying on the cross brought ultimate victory over God’s people and kingdom. That makes Satan furious, so he does everything he can to destroy God’s people and kingdom. It’s kind of rough to hear, but once we know, we can be equipped. 

The thing is, all of those examples above, are usually nothing more than an idea in our head.

A girl wearing an outfit that suddenly makes her feel insecure– everyone is worried about their own outfit, not hers.

A friend not being invited to a party - the inviter might be afraid they’d be turned down or feels intimidated by the invitee. 

A mom disciplining her child in public- no one is really watching, and if she is getting glances, it’s probably sympathy from another mom trying to figure out a way to help.

A man talking with another woman- they could be work colleagues or old high school friends. 

There is a solution. Notice the second part of the verse of John 10:10.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  John 10:10 (emphasis mine.)

God wants us to have a full life.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus was telling His disciples that He was about to leave- that is, to be crucified and go to heaven to be with the Father, God. He was telling them that though they will face hard times, He will have ultimate victory. This is for us as well. We all struggle in this world and in our lives, but if we keep the mindset that God has already won, we can have peace through Him.

Yes, I know it  is easy to say. I’m just as guilty at feeding thoughts that turn into wildfire. But I have learned that I can quickly turn it around and give it to God. Sometimes I imagine all the things bothering me in little boxes, and I hand them over to God one by one. I name them, and hand them over. Although the situation hasn’t been solved, God is now carrying them rather than me. He takes the weight and burden for me. That is how we find peace through our struggles. God is already there, He is just waiting for us to acknowledge His presence in our lives. He is never going to force you. But when you do acknowledge Him and hand over your worries, your insecurities, you will realize an internal peace that you cannot get anywhere else. That builds your faith, which over time, grows into a knowledge that you are completely covered and protected through your troubles. You will be able to identify the enemy’s lies when they come upon you.

And that is God's victory for you. It is His intent to show His glory through you, no matter how big your struggle is. Are you ready for victory?

Put it into practice:

Acknowledge what you are struggling with. Visualize handing it over to God, Jesus, and Him taking it into His hands. Sit in quiet stillness until you are able to take your hands off of what you are handing Him. You might have to do it over and over until you can fully let go. Remember, it may not be solved, but you can trust that God will take control and help you through the situation. He will give you clarity on your next step.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you that I can hand my troubles over to you, that you will take them, without judgement, and will help me through them. (Name them one by one, as you visualize handing them over). Help me with my doubt, build my faith through trusting in you. Thank you that though I have trouble in this world, you have come overcome this world for me, that I might have life to the fulllest. Amen.

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Resources | Life.Church Open Network. (n.d.). 320 And Up. https://open.life.church/

I am not a Bible scholar or preacher, I am just a girl who loves Jesus. This is my interpretation of things I have learned. I hope it can encourage you and lead you to the bible to see the truth for yourself. :-)