The Invitation of Insecurity - Encouragement for Today - May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

The Invitation of Insecurity
SHARON HODDE MILLER

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“Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to rescue you. This is the LORD’s declaration.” Jeremiah 1:8 (CSB) 

For most of my life, I was only ever equipped with one response to insecurity: Fight it. This was the single tool in my self-esteem tool belt because it was the only tool that had ever been handed to me.

Both inside and outside the Church, I was taught to fear insecurity and to treat it like an attack. Whenever I felt insecure about myself, I assumed that I must have fallen prey to some terrible lie and that my only option was to launch a counterattack with a barrage of positive self-affirmations.

And sometimes that is exactly the response I need! Whenever my insecurities are rooted in a lie, a wound, or shame from my past, I absolutely need the healing balm of God’s loving Truth.

But not all insecurity is rooted in a lie about ourselves. Sometimes our insecurities are telling us something true about ourselves that we actually need to hear, and we will miss this lesson if we immediately shoo all insecurity away.

That is a lesson Jeremiah learned early in his ministry. When God first appointed Jeremiah to be His prophet, he was not yet 20 years old, considerably younger than the prophets before him. He had neither the life experience nor the leadership experience that the role would require, and because of this, he was deeply insecure. So insecure, in fact, that he tried to turn down the role:

“But I protested, ‘Oh no, Lord GOD! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.’ Then the LORD said to me: Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,’ for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to rescue you. This is the LORD’s declaration” (Jeremiah 1:6-8, CSB).

Notice that God did not affirm Jeremiah. Instead, God affirmed Himself. Why? Because Jeremiah’s insecurities highlighted something he needed to understand:

Sometimes we feel insecure because we are standing on something insecure.

Jeremiah was standing on his own ability instead of God’s. And very often, that is what our insecurity is trying to tell us too.

When our confidence begins to shake, it’s a good sign we are standing on something shaky. Whether it’s our outward appearance; our performance at work; or our role as a wife, mom, or friend, these make for incredibly unstable foundations … and insecurity is one of the first "yellow flags" warning that our foundation is faulty.

These days, I have stopped responding to my insecurities by immediately fighting them. Instead, I have learned to get curious. Sometimes my insecurities are indeed the result of shame or a lie, but sometimes they contain valuable information I want to hear.

I want to stand firm on Jesus — because He doesn’t shake.

Loving Father, when insecurity arises inside of me, help me to be curious, discern its truest source, and find my security in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

If you would like to experience greater freedom from insecurity, grab a copy of Sharon’s book Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not about You.

To go even deeper, check out Sharon’s 40-day devotional, Gazing at God: A 40-Day Journey to Greater Freedom from Self.

ENGAGE

If you would like to connect with Sharon online, be sure to follow her on Instagram at @sharonhmiller. You can also learn more about her at SharonHoddeMiller.com.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash” (CSB).

What is one insecurity in your life that might be pointing to a “sandy” foundation? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

© 2026 by Sharon Hodde Miller. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org