A Rising Remnant

Tag: faith vs flesh

  • Insecurity vs. God: Who Defines Me?

    Insecurity vs. God: Who Defines Me?

    The Question That Shifted Everything

    I’ve been realizing lately that insecurity is still one of the biggest stumbling blocks in my walk with Christ. It keeps me from fully stepping into who He has called me to be.

    I was journaling recently, and the question I asked myself was, “Why do I still struggle with worrying about what people think of me?”

    And I noticed a common theme that was coming up in my answers… I still care so much because I fear I’ll end up alone.

    When Circumstances Speak Louder Than Truth

    A lot of times, I make God seem small because I get hyper-focused on everything I don’t have but wish I did. That focus alone can leave me feeling everything but good. But here’s the truth: even though that little voice in my head wants me to believe my feelings define reality, I know God says otherwise.

    On the outside, it may look like lack, but I trust He’s working behind the scenes of my life, bringing all things together for my good (Romans 8:28). One day, He’ll get the glory, and I’ll be able to look back and say, “God was always working.”

    Friendship and Romance Are Connected

    What I’m starting to notice is that the same insecurities I feel in friendship are the very ones that show up when I think about romantic relationships. It’s connected.

    If I fear rejection in friendships, I’ll carry that same fear into dating or marriage. If I base my worth on whether people stay or go, I’ll end up performing for approval or walking on eggshells just to keep someone close… whether it’s a friend or a partner.

    Relationships as a Reflection of Christ

    I’m learning that my earthly relationships… platonic or romantic, should always reflect my relationship with Christ. How I give love, how I receive it, and even how I respond to disappointment or rejection are mirrors of what’s happening in my walk with Him.

    When my identity and worth are rooted in God, I can love freely without fear. I can set healthy boundaries without guilt. And I can trust that whether a friend drifts away or a partner disappoints me, I’m still fully known, fully loved, and fully secure in Christ.

    The closer I walk with Him, the healthier my relationships become. Not because people are perfect, but because His love is perfect, and it flows through me into every connection I have.

    Rooted in Christ Alone

    But here’s the shift I’m learning to make: my identity has to remain in Christ, not in who accepts or rejects me.

    Because if my worth is rooted in Him, then even if someone disappoints me, I don’t lose myself in the process.

    That’s the freedom God’s inviting me into. To abide in Him so deeply that whether it’s friendships or a future relationship, I can show up whole, secure, and loved, because I already know who I am in Him.

    Closing Thoughts

    Maybe that’s the bigger picture. The very lessons God is teaching me in friendship are preparing me for love, too.

    He’s showing me that rejection doesn’t define me, circumstances don’t limit me, and insecurity doesn’t have the final word.

    God does.

    And if I keep my eyes on Him, I won’t just survive relationships, I’ll thrive in them.

    Because I’ll finally understand that I’m already chosen, already loved, and already secure in the One who never leaves.

    A Prayer

    Lord, help me to see myself the way

    You see me, loved, chosen, and

    enough. Teach me to abide in You so

    fully that no fear of rejection or

    disappointment can shake me. Help

    me walk confidently in friendships

    and relationships, showing up as the

    whole, secure person You created me

    to be. Protect my heart, guide my

    steps, and remind me that Your love

    is my anchor in every season.

    In Jesus Name, Amen.

  • When Scripture Begins to Take Root in Your Heart and No Longer Are Just Words on a Page

    When Scripture Begins to Take Root in Your Heart and No Longer Are Just Words on a Page

    Someone once told me, “It’s impossible to read God’s Word and it not change your heart.” That stuck with me, because it’s so true.

    Curiosity That Led To Change

    When I finally began taking my relationship with the Lord seriously, something inside me shifted. It stirred up a hunger, a curiosity, a deep desire to know Him. I wanted to understand who Jesus really was.

    Why should I listen to what He had to say? What was so important about the words written on these pages? Could they actually help me?

    And what I found… changed everything.

    It changed who I thought I was.

    It changed the way I spoke and responded to people.

    It changed how I handled situations.

    It changed the way I treated others and even the way I treated myself.

    It changed the way I gave and received love.

    It completely changed the way I saw the world.

    Nothing Hidden

    And to be clear, I didn’t stumble on some secret code hidden in Scripture. I was just open. Whatever the Lord wanted me to have, I opened my heart to receive it. And He met me there… giving me wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

    For the first time, those words on the page made sense. The more I read, the more I wanted to spend time with Him. It felt like I was reading His personal journal… and he wanted me to find it and read it. One He had written with me in mind. Nothing was new, but it felt brand new to me.

    His Word Changes You

    And as I read, I felt everything: sadness, joy, anger, confusion, gratitude, awe, even speechlessness at times. I began to see the Lord differently, not in a bad way, but in a way that filled me with reverence, love, and honor. It was a feeling that I didn’t know I could experience. A feeling I didn’t know I needed.

    His Word began healing wounds I didn’t even know were still open. It brought clarity to old pain and new struggles. It was like being lifted onto a cloud, and I never wanted to come down.

    That’s what the Word of Jesus Christ does when you let it take root in your heart.

    I never knew how deeply He loved me. I never grasped how sacrificial His love really was. He wants me walking in freedom and healing. He values me. He sees beyond my flaws and brokenness. He doesn’t desire my suffering, but longs for good things for me.

    His Word Builds Us Up

    And when I allowed His Word to speak directly to my heart, it began to take root. My desires changed. Conviction became real. I stopped being selfish, and living only to satisfy my flesh. I started to see my sin for what it was and, for the first time, care about how it made the Lord feel.

    Colossians 2:6–7 says:

    “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

    That’s exactly what happened. When I prayed for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, He gave it to me. And as He did, my reverence for Him deepened, and my faith began to grow. Even though my foundation was shaky, He built on it… because nothing is too hard for God.

    We Are Forgiven

    And another part of that chapter in Colossians that really stands out for me is verse 14:

    “Jesus canceled the record of debt that stood against us… nailing it to the cross.”

    That means I am forgiven. Every mistake. Every failure. Every sin. All of it… written down as a debt I could never repay… was nailed to the cross. And now it’s gone. Forever. Because Jesus defeated death.

    A Moment Of Reflection And Call To Action

    Looking back, I’m so grateful that I opened my heart and let God’s Word take root in me. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been life-changing in the best ways. If He could meet me in my mess, heal my wounds, and reshape my heart, then I know He can do the same for you.

    My prayer is that you won’t just read the Bible as words on a page, but that you’ll encounter Jesus in a way that changes everything. Because once His love takes root in your heart, transform begins and nothing stays the same.

    My Prayer You 🙏🏾

    Lord,

    I struggle to understand Your word,

    and sometimes it feels impossible to ever get it right.

    But I come humbly before You,

    asking for Your wisdom and

    understanding.

    Remind me that I am complete in You.

    Let the truth of Your Word take root

    deep in my heart, so that I can walk in victory and not defeat.

    Because of Your sacrifice, I can walk free from guilt because it was nailed to the Cross.

    In Jesus name, Amen! 💛

  • Torn Between Two Loves: Sin and Savior

    Torn Between Two Loves: Sin and Savior

    My honest wrestle with sin and spiritual loyalty

    The Conflict of Two Loves

    As much as I hate to admit it, I’ve been unfaithful to my Savior. More often than I care to admit.

    It’s not that I don’t care. It’s not that I don’t love Him, because I do. Because of Jesus, I’ve been able to experience a real and personal relationship with God. A love that reminds me I’m seen, chosen, and deeply known.

    The kind of love that covers shame, quiets fear, and heals places I didn’t even know were bleeding.

    It’s beautiful, but it also comes with a cost. A cost that requires me to crucify my flesh daily and walk away from what once comforted me. Because on the other side of that beauty is real darkness. A devil that hates the love God has for His children. And because he hates it, he attacks it.

    He feeds the sinful nature inside all of us, the part that craves gratification, attention, escape. The part that wants what it wants right now. And if you’re not watchful, if you slip, if you’re tired or vulnerable, it creeps in. Quietly. Quickly. Convincingly.

    It’ll sound like:

    “Just this once.”

    “God will forgive you.”

    “No one has to know.”

    But that’s the trick. The enemy’s only real power is deception. And deception, when believed, leads to disobedience.

    The Allure of Sin

    Sin doesn’t always show up looking like a red flag. Sometimes it shows up dressed in comfort, in old habits, in desires that whisper, “This will make you feel better.” It doesn’t come as a threat, it comes as a relief. A temporary escape. A numbing agent.

    For me, sin often comes when I’m tired. Weary. Waiting on God and wondering if He hears me. And before I know it, I find myself entertaining thoughts, habits, or even people that I’ve already told God I was done with. I’ve cried real tears over wanting to be better… wanting to honor God with my body, with my choices, with my loyalty, but then I find myself going back to what I know leads me further from Him.

    Sin is patient. It waits until the moment you’re spiritually dry, emotionally vulnerable, or just hungry for affection, attention, or control. And when it finds an opening, it doesn’t ask permission. It slides in like an old lover who knows just what to say.

    And the worst part? Sometimes I say yes.

    The Rationalization and Rebellion

    “I’ll repent later.”

    “I’ve already done it before, what’s one more time?”

    “I’m human.”

    I’ve used every excuse in the book to justify going back to things I know break God’s heart and mine too, honestly. It’s not just rebellion… it’s self-betrayal. Because every time I choose sin, I betray the healed, whole, obedient version of me that I’ve been praying to become.

    And yet… God doesn’t stop loving me.

    That’s what makes this so complex.

    The same love that should anchor me… sometimes becomes the thing I take for granted.

    The Hidden Cost

    Sin doesn’t send an invoice right away. It waits.

    At first, everything feels good, even freeing. But later… comes the shame. The distance. The confusion. The heavy silence in prayer. The feeling that I can’t look Jesus in the eyes, not because He turned away from me, but because I’m hiding, like Adam and Eve in the garden.

    Sin has cost me clarity, peace, spiritual confidence, and time. It’s made me question whether I’ll ever really change. Whether I’m capable of true commitment to Christ. It’s made me feel like a fraud even while leading or encouraging others.

    But grace won’t stop chasing me.

    The Turning Point

    There’s no single dramatic moment I can point to where everything shifted. For me, it’s been a series of quiet convictions. The kind of conviction that doesn’t shame me, but gently pulls me back to the feet of Jesus. The Holy Spirit doesn’t yell, He whispers.

    Sometimes, the turning point looks like me deleting a number. Saying “no” when my body wants to say “yes.” Being honest in prayer and saying, “God, I still want this… help me not to.”

    And sometimes, the turning point is just getting back up after I fall.

    Coming Back Home

    I’ve learned that repentance isn’t about perfection. It’s about posture.

    God isn’t asking for flawless behavior, He’s asking for a loyal heart.

    And loyalty looks like showing up, even after I’ve messed up.

    It looks like surrendering again and again.

    It looks like trusting that Jesus already paid for my failures, and I don’t have to keep paying for them with shame.

    Every time I return to Him, I find open arms.

    Not punishment. Not distance.

    But grace. Healing. Renewal.

    And somehow… He still calls me His.

    Final Reflection: Torn, But Choosing Love

    I don’t write this from a place of having arrived, I’m still on the journey. I still get tempted. I still feel weak sometimes. But I’m learning how to fight differently. I’m learning how to recognize the lie before I agree with it. I’m learning how to choose God, not just because He loves me, but because I love Him back.

    And that love? It’s worth protecting.

    If you’re struggling like me, torn between what you know is right and what your flesh still craves, you’re not alone. And you’re not too far gone.

    God sees your heart. He sees the effort. The tears. The wrestling.

    Keep coming back to Him.

    Every time you do, He’ll still be there… arms open, heart ready, grace fully available.

    Reflection Question:

    Do I love God enough to walk away from what keeps separating me from Him?

    Prayer

    Lord, I don’t want to keep choosing what pulls me away from You.

    Give me the strength to walk away from what feels good, but harms my soul.

    Remind me of Your love when I feel weak and help me to love You more than I love my comfort, my habits, or my desires.

    Don’t allow me to have peace with the things that try to keep me separate from you.

    Thank You for never giving up on me, even when I’ve wandered.

    Today, I choose You again.

    Amen.