Finding Security in an Insecure World
03 April, 2013
Take heart, for I have overcome.
John 16:33
Social media, commercials, billboards... they all tell us one thing: We need to become better versions of ourselves. Whiter teeth, faster cars, and flatter abs will make us happier, right? Once we're finally dating that perfect person or have that perfect job or buy that new Michael Kors watch then we'll find pure bliss, correct? If we achieve worldly perfection then we know that we'll finally feel complete.
Before I found Christ, I firmly believed these to be truths. I was a slave to society, subconsciously studying all the rules on how to "make it" in this life. Watching Jersey Shore on MTV taught me that drunken nights of partying was gratifying. The popular girls at school taught me that fashion exposed one's self worth. Cosmopolitan magazine told me that wearing a size 6 meant I was fat.
Feeding myself these deceptions of unattainable goals left me nothing but constrained and unconfident. I saw myself as worthless, knowing I wasn't living the lavish lifestyle that was expected of society's standards.
It wasn't until the Lord touched my heart that I came to understand that these weren't truths. In fact, they couldn't be more amiss! Psalm 3:5-6 says to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Through Jesus, I learned that my life is not my own. Allowing God to work through me is the only way to find happiness. The secret of the world isn't nicer clothes or faster cars, it's living a life for Jesus.
1 John 5:12 says that "Whoever has the Son has life and whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." Living in Malibu, I see celebrities on a weekly basis. In the past, I would fawn over them, thinking that they must be completely satisfied. But, the truth is that without Jesus, real happiness is unattainable! Sin is only fun for a season. Getting drunk at parties, gossiping about others, or excessive spending does not fill emptiness. I've found that sometimes, those who look like they have it all together are actually struggling the most.
Jesus said that His grace is sufficient for us, and that His power is made perfect in our weakness (1 Corinthians 12:9). God works through us regardless of what car we drive or job we have, and the fabricated lies of the media will never change that.
He alone satisfies the longing soul.
Psalm 107:9
