The Security of No Security

With God, I have no place to hang my hat. I have nothing to believe in, nothing to depend on. I have nothing to take confidence in, nothing to rely on, EXCEPT HIM, that is. That might sound perilous, scary and unpredictable but it actually has the opposite effect. Knowing there is nothing in the world I can absolutely rely on helps me let go and cling more tightly to God.

I want to break this down so that it means a little more. I lost my father at 19, which taught me early on that every life ends. People die. I can't cling to a person for security. Jobs end, or sometimes we become disabled or aged and are disqualified for employment. Beauty fades, health is dependent on so many factors, disease is commonplace. Then there is the fact that we live among other beings who are making choices, good and bad, that affect us or even hurt us. Possessions can be stolen or broken or destroyed. Like I said, I have no place to hang my hat. I can't even be pleased when I compare myself to others, because there is always someone more beautiful, intelligent, capable, kind....

What an insecure place I'm in when I try to place my security in myself, my spouse or my achievements. This is what God says in Jeremiah 17:

⁵ This is what the LORD says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
⁶ That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.

⁷ “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”

I envision a strong, unbreakable, faithful woman in verses 7-8. But I see a needy, lonely, negative, weak woman in the preceding verses. The difference? The first one put her confidence in what she sees while the second put her confidence in what she does not see. It's a powerful, daily decision to put one's trust in God, one that requires dedication to studying and applying his awesome word.

I love this promise as well, in Isaiah 40:

²⁸ Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

These are not just nice, religious powerless words. No, these are incredible truths, words to live by. I dare you! Go ahead and put your full confidence in God and see the miracles that come. Not only will you be more confident than ever before, but you will be amazed at how he will change your life.