The Rest of Your Story 4: A New Perspective

 

To start from part one, click here.

In part three we talked about familiar words in our stories like hope, faith, and family. They tell us about who we are and who God is making us to be.

But there are darker words on the pages of our lives too. For example, one of those words for me is insecurity.

Ya'll, when I'm in a room with a lot of new people I shake like a leaf, sweat like a hog, and feel like something is in my nose. Yes, ma'am.

That's because inside there are thoughts running through my mind that sound a lot like, "You're not_________enough (insert pretty, outgoing, etc. here)."

I wrote about this in a confession post on (in)courage. And since then, I've been doing more thinking about it.

And I've decided while we don't even like to mention those words, they also hold an important key to our stories. Because God isn't the only one who has a plan for our lives. We have an enemy who does too.

And whatever God wants to do most through us, the enemy is determined to come at us with the opposite. So those negative words, when looked at in a different light, also show us powerful truths about who we have the potential to be in the Spirit.

For example, another one of my negative words is discouragement.

Ladies, I can whine and throw pity parties like nobody's business. Now, sometimes that's just getting real with Jesus. But I'm talking about taking it a step farther and wallering (that's a southern term for acting like a pig in the mud of your troubles).

So what's the opposite of discouragement? COURAGE 

And COURAGE is a characteristic I don't possess much at all on my own but I very much feel called to live in and share with others.

Rather than looking at those negative words that are repeated in our stories as something to skip over, we can use them as clues to help us discover who God has called us to be.

Unlike the words we talked about yesterday, the words you transform will probably not come naturally to you. But that just makes more room for God to show up in them.

Today I'd like you to think about some of those words and their opposite. I'll give you a start....

discouragement - COURAGE

depression - JOY

anxiety - PEACE

loneliness - LOVE

fear - FAITH

What's a word you wish weren't in your story? What could be the opposite that God wants to use you to write instead?

Like I did in the Joy Challenge, I'll have random giveaways for people who comment or subscribe during this series. (Subscribers, to leave a comment click here or on Heart to Heart with Holley at the top of the e-mail. Then scroll down and click on "comments" at the bottom of the actual post.)

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Comments

[melissa]

failure.

i read somewhere that if you knew the power of your thoghts you would be more careful about thinking them. this is something i am trying to work on. i allow thoughts and ideas to creep into my mind and fester there. these are not the things God wants me to focus on...whatever is lovely, whatever is pure...right???

thanks holley. love your blog

[melissa]

oh and success is the opposite that God is writing into my life:)

[Dee]

I'm glad you took this tack, Holley. It is important to look at the stumbling blocks as well and search for the opposite on the positive side. I love how you lead us to look deeply inside. Here are some words I've found:

Doubt - FaithJudged - LovedFear - God With UsTimidity - Courage

It's harder to find these words, but it is good to look at this side as well. Thank you.

[Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect]

Holley, I just wanted to say how glad I am that somehow (hello, God and His plans!) these two insecure girls managed to meet and click almost one year ago!! :)

[Patty]

I read a post that focused on Isaiah 61:1-3 this morning. Here are some of these words from this passage:

brokenhearted ~ healingcaptives ~ libertymourn ~ comfort, console, oil of joyashes ~ beautyspirit of heaviness ~ garment of praise

[Jeanne]

Thank you for special words that I needed today!

[Desiree]

Key words in my life have been "Control" and Insecurity." Talk about being completely out of control of my life with this recent surgery for a benign brain tumor! One minute you are there because you have a rotten headache and the next you are riding in an ambulance to the hospital!

When I was very little, about 4, my parents deserted me and left me caring for my 2 yr old sister. Since that time He has done miraculous works in my life--a private adoption into a Godly home when I was ten, and so much more. So I have spent my life learning to let God have control of my life and who is in it!

[Leonore]

Holley,

I believe you are absolutely correct about our "enemy", who just loves it when we are not happy.I would suggest that one look at the word-EVIL-and spell it backwards: LIVE!

God wants us to "Live" a fullfilling, happy life. Our enemy does NOT.

Thanks to all for sharing. I hope that you all choose to "LIVE".

[Dee]

Thanks again, Holley. Insecurity is one of my difficult areas also. Your description is so funny--'feel like something is in my nose.' The entry I read this morning in RAIN ON ME mirrored this post also. I liked the crux of the message so much I added it to my 'thoughts' on Facebook: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 2Cor. 12:9. This is helping quite a bit as I struggle with my own feelings of insecurity. I invision myself inside the wing of God whenever I am in a situation that causes this feeling. It is helping. The more I am his messenger surrendering my ego to Him, the less I am afraid. I have a long way to go, but I feel at least I am on my way following in His footsteps. It is a gleeful adventure!

[Becky]

Dear Holley,

I have been insecure my whole life.

"And whatever God wants to do most through us, the enemy is determined to come at us with the opposite."

I had never given THAT a thought.

I think the opposite of insecurity might be CONFIDENCE. Confidence that we are "wonderfully made". I have some other opposites to figure out because I am also shy and quiet. Maybe they are just the result of fear in which case, as you already pointed out, the opposite is FAITH.

I'm loving this challenge and for how it's causing me to look deeper.

Blessings! and thank you!