If you are reading this article you want to know how to overcome insecurity and fear of failure. Are you called to do something? Do you feel inadequate, unqualified, insecure? Do you struggle with self-doubt and fear of failure? Are you tempted to give up? Take a deep breath, it is normal.
The root of insecurity
Most often the root of insecurity is simply the realization that our resources, strength, talents, knowledge, and qualification are not enough to do what we are called to do. We see how big and vast the calling and the mission are God has for us and we are painfully aware that we don’t have what it takes.
Or we start very enthusiastically full of zeal only to find out that things do not develop as we plan and imagine. And that there are so many obstacles and challenges on the way. We receive a rejection. A door closes. We want to move forward, but it seems we go backward or on a side road taking us away from what God has put in our hearts. We fail.
Our insecurity surfaces every day and throws its painful questions and statements. “Why did you start this at all?” “It is madness to think you will ever succeed with this”, “You lack the knowledge and resources”, “You are not qualified to do this”, “You are just nobody” and the most poisonous “Why don’t you just give up and stop pursuing this?”
Insecurity can be beneficial
But it is good for us to doubt ourselves and not to place our security in our own capabilities and resources. It is beneficial to doubt our own capacity when this is the instrument propelling us closer to God and making us depend on Him.
It is OK to feel weak because we can welcome God’s strength to shine in our weaknesses. We can depend on Him and boast with Him leaning on His strength every step on the way. In this way we get to know Him deeper and deeper.
It is better for us not to avoid but to embrace failure. Without failure, there is no true success. Failure is a great teacher exposing the condition and motivations of our hearts and keeping us on the path of humility. It is a necessary instrument of God’s arsenal of training and preparation tools for spiritual growth.
Several weapons of truth
God wants us to succeed! He has not called us to fail in fulfilling our purpose. He provides everything for us to succeed – every day – wisdom, guidance, energy, support, people and resources.
God initiated our spiritual and other callings, He is leading the way, preparing us and qualifying us and He will bring us to a successful end. (Philippians 1:6)
It is important to align our goals, priorities, and definitions for success with God’s. The ultimate goal, the highest spiritual calling and the ultimate success in God’s eyes are to know Him and walk in His ways. The mark of this success is visible in our character and the multifaceted fruit of the Spirit – love, patience, self-control, humility, kindness, joy, hope. Our primary calling is to be His witnesses and ambassadors of His kingdom. Everything else flows down from this.
How to overcome insecurity by increasing our trust in God
Here are some faith and trust boosters from Psalms 42, 43, and 44. Meditating on them will help us take our eyes from our insecurity and fears and increase our willingness to trust in God.
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:11, Psalm 43:5)
God is my Stronghold. (Psalm 43:2)
God is my Joy and my Delight. (Psalm 43:4)
Success and victory come through God, by His Spirit, and by His hand. Not by our arms, resources, and strength. (Psalm 44:2-3)
God is my King and my God who commands victories for me. He is the God of my success (Psalm 44:4)
I live, work and succeed through Him and by His name. (Psalm 44:6)
I put no trust in my bow and my sword to bring me victory. I don’t put my trust and hope in my capabilities, talents, knowledge, qualification, connections. (Psalm 44:7)
I choose to boast in God all day long. (Psalm 44:8)
Click here for a printable of these quotes.
The most important condition to overcome insecurity
In Mark 6:30-42 we read about Jesus taking the available meager resources of the disciples, namely five loaves and two fish, and multiplying them to feed 5000 men. However, soon after that, He rebuked the disciples caught in a storm for their hardened hearts that didn’t understand about the loaves. (Mark 6:52).
What did they not understand about the loaves? The first and most important truth to understand is that Jesus has all the authority and power, given to Him from God the Father. He has all the power and willingness to take our meager resources, weaknesses, and insecurities and make them more than enough to feed thousands upon thousands. It does not depend on us, and what we have, or don’t have – it depends on Him. All we need is a humble and soft heart choosing to trust Him every day and submit everything in His hands.
The best way to overcome is to develop God-security and God-confidence, trusting in the Lord with all our hearts and acknowledging Him in all our ways. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Your turn
Do you struggle with insecurity and fear of failure? Do you find this article helpful? I will be glad if you comment and share it on Social Media. Thanks!
This article first appeared on OnTheWayBlog.com
I am passionate to encourage people through my blog and poems to stand firm in faith and learn to know and love God. I love diving deeper into the Word of God and finding hidden treasures. I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Let’s connect!
Hi,
A good way to overcome insecurity is to try to accept it.
After we accept it, we will be able to fight it more easily and even eliminate it.
The first step in that direction is to identify the causes of insecurity, and unless we manage to do that, any effort we make will be in vain.
Perhaps, insecurity is a sign that we should improve and try to change the way we do things. Once we start thinking and acting with this in mind, I believe insecurity will prove to be an imaginary enemy that we can easily evict it from our lives.
Praying to God can help us improve.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Georgios! You are right – we need to accept our insecurities, ask for wisdom to understand their roots and most of all let them lead us to a deeper surrender to God. Our insecurities can help us to develop a deeper trust in God, keep us humble, and strengthen our faith.