Overcome Insecurity From the Inside Out
Recently I’ve been sharing a lot on how to overcome insecurity in both class settings and youth group. I’ve written on this topic quite a bit in the past. Dealing with insecurity and learning to overcome insecurity has been something that I’ve struggled with for a significant portion of my life, and honestly something that I still struggle with from time to time. I, myself, have to revisit these same strategies and principles as refreshers and reminders.
My goal today is to give some refreshers and also provide some helpful resources (mostly videos and posts) that can be used, saved, and revisited again later (just as I have to do occasionally).
Overcome Insecurity From the Inside Out
I think the most important thing to remember when battling insecurity is that the change must be internal. We have to overcome insecurity from the inside out. The problem lies within our hearts and within our minds and thought life. We cannot fix insecurity that resides inside of us by merely doing things on the outside. True security flows from the inside out.
“It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” Mark 7:15 (NLT)
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 7:9-10 (NLT)
“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out…” Psalm 139:13a (MSG)
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT)
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
Take Some Practical Steps to Overcome Insecurity From The Inside Out:
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First, consult the creator
God is our creator. He created the inside of us (“inmost being”), so we need to consult HIM in order to get an accurate reflection of what the inside is supposed to look like…not the world, not media, not other’s opinions and labels, NOT EVEN our own opinion. This deliverance from insecurity needs to come from the inside out and it needs to come from God. I’ve heard Terri Savelle Foy say, “God is the cure for the insecure.”
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 (NIV)
To overcome insecurity, we must first consult the one who made us to see how HE sees us in order to align our view and perspective of ourselves with his.
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Secondly, know your worth
Insecurity is often accompanied by a low self-esteem and low self-worth. In order to correct that we need to know our TRUE worth. Revisit this post on “What Does Your Price Tag Say? A message on Self Worth…” to get a better picture of your true value.
“for God bought you with a high price…” 1 Corinthians 6:20a (NLT)
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Next, watch your intake
Have you ever heard the expression “garbage in, garbage out”? Basically, it means that whatever you consume or take in is what you will put back out. Therefore, if you are letting garbage in, garbage is what is going to come back out. This works in a variety of areas, but it’s also true when you attempt to overcome insecurity. You need to guard your heart and take stock of what you let into it.
What you repeatedly hear, you eventually believe. Your faith and belief are built up by what you hear and consistently focus on. If you want to believe what God says about you and your value, you need to start listening to him on a regular basis. You need to hear the Word of God consistently and repeatedly. It’s also important to hear your own positive self-talk, saying the same things about yourself that God says about you.
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NIV)
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Then, think about what you’re thinking about
Part of watching your intake and guarding your heart includes not only what you consume but what you allow yourself to think about and focus on. Your actions with follow your thoughts. If you want to believe positive things about yourself, you need to start thinking positive things about yourself
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV)
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Additionally, watch your internal AND external dialogue
In addition to examining your thought life, you should also analyze and be cautious of your internal dialogue (self-talk—what you say to yourself in your head) and your external dialogue (what you say to and about yourself out loud). Both dialogues should be free of any negative self-talk and full of positive self-talk (saying what God says about you).
Our mouths/tongues (and the words that come from them) are to us like the bit is to a horse’s mouth or like the rudder is to a ship (James 3:2-5). Even though they are small parts, just like our tongue is a small part of our body, they control and guide the whole body. So then can our tongue and our words guide our body and our lives and change the outcomes thereof. Therefore, the ability to effectively control our words is a vital life skill. If you say positive things, you can get powerful positive results. Alternately, if you say negative things, you can get powerful negative results.
“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 (NLT)
“A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!” James 3:3-5 (MSG)
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Finally, please utilize and save these resources for future reference
The following are just a few resources (most of which I have personally used and found to be extremely helpful and transformative for me) to help you to know your worth and build your faith by hearing what God has to say about you.
Previous posts dealing with insecurity, self-esteem, and self-worth:
What Does Your Price Tag Say? A message on Self Worth…
How to Overcome Insecurity Caused by Fear-Part 1
How to Overcome Insecurity Caused by Fear Part 2
Overcome Insecurity Caused by a Tragic Circumstance or Incident
How to Overcome Feeling Unloved or Unwanted
How to Recognize Love and Feel Loved by Others
Flaws, Imperfections, Mistakes: Are they really all bad?
Not Measuring Up to the Standards of Others?
3 Mindsets to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
How to Feel More Secure About Your Appearance
Feeling like you don’t fit in? Somebody has already accepted you…
Overcome Your Failures: They Do NOT Define You!
Mistakes Can Turn Into Success: Look at these examples of bad turned good…
Video messages to help you overcome insecurity:
You Are a Masterpiece—Seeing Yourself the Way God Sees You (Tracy Robbins, 4/18/15)
The Antidote to Insecurity (Steven Furtick, Elevation Church, 5/9/10)
I Know I Am,Crash the Chatterbox—Week 2 (Steven Furtick, Elevation Church, 2/15/14)
Insecurity and Self-Image (Terri Savelle Foy)
3 Keys to Build Your Self-Image (Terri Savelle Foy)
What Do You Think You’re Worth (Terri Savelle Foy)
Terri Savelle Foy posts/short video clips on overcoming insecurity:
What resources have helped you to overcome insecurity? Share them with us about it by leaving a comment below. You never know who you could help!
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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward! Share this post via the sharing links below. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
