Value & Security

Our Sunday morning class currently being taught by one of our ministers has spurred quite a bit of conversation between Billy and I in the last few weeks. Galon gave a diagram similar to what I'm going to attempt below:

God provides
Value
Security


World Substitutes
Power/ control
Comfort/ Pleasure

World Digresses
Sensuality/ Sex
Anger/ Violence


The first category representing light and life based on Romans 1, the last manifesting in addiction representing death and darkness in the world. This series entitled "Kingdom Living" challenging us to respond to every day situations from the heart of and eyes of God instead of a fallen world perspective. In our lives we can seek to fill these needs through a job, family, education, church attendance, approval, etc, etc... The list of fallen world band aids and crutches is as diverse as each person. Galon challenged us that most Christians live in the middle column.

It's been a journey to view what crutch do I use, what do I put in the place of God to provide these base needs? When these needs aren't met how do I respond? He points out that anger is not a root emotion and that fear and hurt of losing these basic needs are at the root. For example withdrawing, pushing people away, judging them and their choices is all an attempt to gain control. I know in the last couple of years I have put growing a family in that space in a way that has definitely had me reacting out of the hurt and hole in my life that has created. Here are some quotes from Galon: It is pushing God out of the way when I turn to something else except Him for comfort. God will clean that up if I let Him. By letting go I can live more abundantly without stress and anxiety. God puts no requirements on my relationship, I don't have to be (for me: charming, quick witted or graceful). His love is not performance based and He loves me even when I don't perform well. If I allow God to fill my needs then His love can better flow through me.

He also explained that when those two basic needs are not met, anxiety will increase. So when I am anxiety filled, what am I not filling met? What am I allowing to fill those needs that isn't Christ? He's the only being in my life that will always be there. Jobs end, family members die, education becomes outdated and obsolete, churches dissolve or split. He gave examples of our reactions to family events and what would reflect a kingdom response or a fallen world response starting with our thoughts going to our feeling and ending in our behavior. Young Johnny lives in a sports family house but decides to be a cheerleader... how do you respond? Mom overslept and forgot to pick up Tommy from track practice, what happens next? In the mom example... a feeling comes up of guilt from the mom, the thought process follows that she's a bad mom. She starts defending herself because she allowed this unintentional mistake threaten her value as a mother. If the mother knows she's a good mother, she apologizes.

These ideas have spoken volumes to me as I know I can put my value and security in earthly comforts and promises. Everyone except God will disappoint at some time because we live in a fallen world. My anxiety can and does rise and I start feeling as though I need to defend myself to the world. I pray for the awareness the next time my anxiety rises to take that to the Lord and let Him show me how much value I have to Him and how much security only He can offer me.