The Roots of Insecurity (Part 1)
By John Woodward
June 7, 2007

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One of the important foundations for a healthy, vital Christian life is
the assurance of your salvation. It is nearly impossible to have Christ
as the center of your life if you're not sure He is in your life as
personal Savior (John 1:12).

Many believers who struggle with uncertainty regarding their standing
with God could progress to assurance if they could discern the causes
of their insecurity. Let's consider some common factors that may hinder
a true believer's sense of assurance.

1. Feeling unsaved
Sometimes the nature of the believer's insecurity is more of an
emotional issue than a doctrinal or spiritual one. In other words,
there is a difference between feeling unsaved and doubting God's
promises of redemption.

For example, when a person is raised in an atmosphere of
performance-based acceptance or blatant rejection, this causes
emotional damage in childhood. Although parental love should be an
expression and symbol of the Heavenly Father's love and faithfulness,
this family love is often lacking or not expressed meaningfully.

Therefore, when the rejected person becomes born again through faith in
Christ, he/she may lack the emotional confirmation that they are truly
accepted by the ultimate Parent--God.

In a counseling session, Dr. Charles Solomon had a veteran missionary
come for help because she suffered from a chronic lack of assurance.
This sister had an obvious Christian testimony, a strong grasp of
Scriptural promises, had led many to Christ, and appreciated the
doctrines of grace. In light of her background and rejection patterns
growing up, Solomon challenged her to consider that she did not doubt
her salvation; instead, she felt unsaved. When she distinguished the
emotional component from her spiritual condition, she was enabled to
understand and eventually resolve this uncertainty.

The apostle John affirmed, "For if our heart condemns us, God is
greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart
does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God" (1 John 3:20,21).

Emotional healing comes as we experience divine and human love and
acceptance over time. God's assurance to His prophet applies to each
one of His children: "The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes,
I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with
lovingkindness I have drawn you'" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Biblical faith is not based on feelings--whether positive or
negative--so we should recognize the possibility of emotional
resistance to feeling saved. In spite of misleading emotions, the
believer can have confidence that salvation in Christ has been received
and will be kept by God. Paul's assurance rose above circumstances and
distractions: "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless
I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day" (2
Timothy 1:12).

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For further information on the effects of a lack of meaningful love,
see Charles Solomon, The Ins and Out of Rejection (Sevierville, TN:
Solomon Publications). This is available through GFI (the sponsor of
Grace Notes).

Related Grace Notes: Correcting Your Conception of God, Your Palette of
Emotions, and How to Gain True Assurance.

Copyright 2007 by John Woodward. Permission is granted to reprint for
non-commercial use. Scripture quotations are from the New King James
Version, Copyright by Thomas Nelson.


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