A Rising Remnant

Tag: peace

  • 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.

  • I used to say Philippians 4:13 for motivation… until God showed me what it truly means

    I used to say Philippians 4:13 for motivation… until God showed me what it truly means

    Misunderstood and Misused

    From the pulpit to the streets, Philippians 4:13, has been one of the many scriptures that have been  misinterpreted, misunderstood, and misused for years.

    “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

    That’s what it says, and most Christians, myself included, have used this scripture at one point or another to help give them motivation…

    “I can get that promotion, buy that house, or reach my goals through Christ who strengthens me.”

    But when Paul wrote it, he was in prison, enduring suffering. He wasn’t talking about doing whatever he wanted. It’s like he was praying:

    “Lord, even though this situation is hard, Your presence strengthens me. Even if I’m going through suffering right now, You have given me the strength to endure, because in my weakness, Your power is made strong.

    It’s a good thing for us to remember with Christ, we have the strength to endure every circumstance, whether abundance or lack, success or hardship.

    My Personal Awakening

    For me, it wasn’t so much a season of hardship that made me dig into this verse. It was when I finally surrendered my life to Christ and prayed, asking Him to give me knowledge of Scripture, understanding of what it truly meant, and the wisdom to apply it. And He did.

    As I began studying, things started to make sense. I started looking over my life and realized how many times I had used Philippians 4:13 for my own personal gain. I said it, or repeated it, because I’d heard people around me say it, out of habit, or as a way to make myself feel better. But nothing actually changed. It was like my eyes were finally open.

    That’s when I realized the verse wasn’t meant to be a motivational slogan, it was meant to remind us that God’s strength equips us to walk faithfully in His will, whether life feels easy or impossible.

    Walking in God’s Strength

    God will give us strength, but only if it aligns with His will for our lives. Anything that requires faith, He gives strength for, whether that’s:

    • Enduring trials and suffering

    • Resisting temptation

    • Obeying His Word

    • Forgiving others

    • Serving and loving others

    • Sharing the Gospel boldly

    • Standing firm in faith

    • Doing good works

    The Danger of Misusing Scripture

    But here’s the thing, misusing scripture is dangerous. It sets up false expectations. If someone, believes this verse means, “God will give me strength to succeed at whatever I want,” they may expect guaranteed wins, wealth, or breakthroughs in life. And When life doesn’t turn out that way, it can lead to disappointment with God and even loss of faith.

    I know because I’ve been there. And it wasn’t just this one scripture… it was a lifetime of misinterpretations of scriptures I’d heard over the years. The danger isn’t just quoting them wrong; it’s developing a view of God that isn’t biblical. That false view can leave people discouraged, disappointed, or even walking away from the faith when life gets hard.

    A Hopeful Perspective

    The good thing is, even when we’ve misunderstood, God doesn’t throw us away. He corrects us gently and opens our eyes to the truth.

    Philippians 4:13 may not promise we’ll get everything we want, but it promises something even better…  It means no matter what I face, whether I’m in a season of plenty or a season of lack… Christ is right there giving me the strength to keep going.

    My Takeaway

    Instead of using this verse like a motivational quote, I can hold onto it as a promise… God’s presence will carry me through whatever comes. And when my faith is built on that, it’s not so easily shaken when life doesn’t go my way.

  • When You Want to Be Understood but Choose Peace Instead

    When You Want to Be Understood but Choose Peace Instead

    Because sometimes peace is louder than being right.

    Growing past the need to be right

    Let me be real… I love a good heart-to-heart. Like, I genuinely want to understand and be understood. I want resolution. I want clarity. I welcome challenges. I try to make sure I create a safe space for people to be vulnerable and heard. I want to walk away from conversations feeling like, “Yes, they saw me. They heard me. They got it.”

    But life doesn’t always give that back.

    Sometimes, after all the explaining, all the deep breaths, all the emotional preparing… you still feel unheard. Misread. Misunderstood.

    And let me tell you, that’s a hard pill to swallow. Especially when you’ve spent so much of your life not having a voice, or constantly having to defend it. When you’ve been silenced, overlooked, or brushed off in the past, feeling unheard now can feel like reopening a wound you thought was already healed.

    But here’s what I’m learning, slowly and painfully:

    Peace sometimes looks like walking away without the last word.

    It’s not that I don’t care. It’s not that I’ve given up. It’s that I’ve grown.

    Because growth says:

    “I don’t need to be right. I just need to be obedient.”

    “I don’t need to prove anything. I need to protect my peace.”

    “I don’t need to win this battle if it’s going to cost me my healing or drain my energy.”

    That doesn’t mean I don’t still want to be heard. Oh, I do. I really do.

    But I’m learning to choose what matters more in the long run.

    ⸻

    God reminds me in His word…

    “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”— Romans 12:18

    There’s so much freedom in that verse. It doesn’t say:

    “Convince them.”

    “Change their minds.”

    “Make them understand your pain.”

    It just says: if it’s possible… and as far as it depends on you… live at peace.

    That means I can only control what I bring to the table.

    I can only control how I show up, how I speak, how I respond.

    I can’t control how someone receives me.

    It doesn’t say we’ll always get the last word. It doesn’t promise mutual understanding or a perfect outcome. It says do your part. Make room for peace. Be responsible for your end, and let God handle the rest.

    So today, I’m choosing peace. Not because it’s easy. Not because I’m passive.

    But because I’m learning that peace is power. It’s strength. It’s evidence of growth.

    And honestly, sometimes the most powerful thing you can say… is nothing at all.

    ⸻

    If you’ve ever been in that place:

    Where you wanted to scream, cry, explain, and break it all down word for word, but instead, you chose silence, prayer, peace or a quiet “okay”…

    You’re not weak.

    You’re not giving in.

    You’re not running.

    You’re growing.

    You’re protecting your peace.

    You’re becoming someone your healed self can be proud of. 

    The Healing in Surrender

    There comes a point in your healing where you realize: peace doesn’t always come with full understanding.

    Sometimes, it shows up wrapped in surrender.

    Not the kind that makes you small, but the kind that reminds you that choosing peace over proving your point is sometimes the most powerful thing you can do.

    We often think healing means closure, but sometimes healing is choosing not to carry the same weight forward, even when the answers never come.

    And here’s the part that challenged me deeply:

    “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

    — 2 Corinthians 5:18

    The ministry of reconciliation.

    That sounds big… because it is.

    It means we’ve been entrusted with the grace to pursue peace and healing, to bridge what’s been broken, not in our own strength but through the example Jesus gave us.

    It doesn’t mean we stay in unhealthy places. It doesn’t mean there’s no room for boundaries. It means we allow God to lead us in repairing what can be repaired, and releasing what can’t.

    Reconciliation may not always look like relationship.

    But it can look like peace in your spirit, clarity in your role, and love that no longer has to prove itself.

    That’s where I’ve landed lately… and it’s a freeing place to be.

    A Prayer for the One Choosing Peace Today

    God,

    Help me trust that even when I feel misunderstood, You see me clearly.

    Keep reminding me that I don’t have to fight every battle, only the ones You’ve assigned to me.

    Give me the courage to let go when I’ve done all I can.

    Let my peace be proof that I’m walking with You.

    And when I can’t make sense of the silence, hold me in it.

    In Jesus name. Amen.