Just Safe. (Why Christians Can Rest Securely In Christ)
One of the most consistent difficulties that I face is fear. Fear of awkward conversations, fear of sharing my faith, fear of emotional discomfort. When I trace the source of these fears, the underlying belief is that I am alone to deal with the jittery nerves or the possible rejection that I’ll face and I won’t be strong enough to sustain myself. In essence, this is a faith issue. God, in his kind mercy, is showing me the weak areas of my faith. The lie that floats around in my psyche which feeds my fears is I am alone and since I am alone, I am not safe.
Last week, during my time with God through reading His word, Ephesians 1:11 stuck out to me. The specific part that spoke to my spirit is the portion that says, “united with Christ”. God helped me to see that because of Jesus’ sacrifice and my dependency on him, the spiritual reality is this: I am united with Christ. Connected to Him. One with Him. This truth is written all over the Word.
I am convinced that the enemy of our souls monopolizes on the lies that our traumas have fed to us. The immense loneliness and rejection I experienced from a young age planted this lie of loneliness and of being unsafe into the soil of my soul, but God in his kind mercy is undoing that lie.
So what does this look like for me practically? I am learning to tell my body, when it’s tense, when my intestines seem to be crawling over themselves like snakes, “you are safe. You are held.” Usually, I would tell this to my body as though I was safe with myself, but the power is not in my ability to ensure safety for myself. The power is in encouraging myself that I am safe because Jesus is quite literally holding me securely. I am learning to define my reality based on God’s word. Not my trauma, not my nervous system, not even my thoughts, but through His Word.
If you are a believer in Christ and you struggle with anxiety, here’s what He tells you about safety.
You are not alone because you are united with Him
“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and makes everything work out according to his plan.” Ephesians 1:11
“But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13
You are brought near, connected to him, engrafted into him. You are united with The One who Holds Everything Together. The One who holds the skeins of life and death in his nail imprinted hands.
You are safe because you are held securely by Him.
“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.” 1 John 5:18
Jesus is, quite literally, holding you safely, securely, and carefully. Even if you are rejected, even if things get awkward, even if the world blows up–He keepeth himself and if you are united with Him, that means you.
That phrase, “holds them securely” is translated as tēreō in the bible. It means “to attend to carefully, take care of, guard, to keep one in the state in which he is” and the state of the believer is, saved, loved, forgiven, justified, child, beloved, and redeemed.
I am starting to direct my thoughts to these truths more consistently as the Holy Spirit leads me. I am learning that I must choose to believe these truths because God is so kind that He will not force me. He’ll let me believe what I want to believe. So, each moment, I’m trying to choose to believe what He says. Isn’t that obedience?
And what do I have to lose besides fear?
So I invite you in, friend. Lean into Jesus’ safe, secure arms, and experience the safety you were created for.
Love and Light,
Kourtney Naomi
