When Insecurities Speak Louder Than Truth
“…so we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has already been marked out before us.” Hebrews 12:1 (TPT)
We all have them: insecurities.
Some are loud and obvious, like the voice that says, “You’re not smart enough” or “You’ll never get this right.” Others sit quietly in the background, shaping how we see ourselves without us even realizing it. The writer of Hebrews names the root of so many insecurities: “every wound that has pierced us.”
A wound is more than a scar from the past. It’s an emotional or spiritual injury that keeps whispering lies into the present. It might be words spoken over us, “You’ll never measure up.” It might be rejection, betrayal, neglect, or failure. It could even be a loss or something we hoped for that never came to pass.
The danger is that wounds don’t just stay in the past. They show up in the present. They whisper lies: “You’re not enough.” “You can’t trust anyone.” “God doesn’t really care about you.” And unless they’re healed, they shape how we see ourselves, how we treat others, and how we think about God.
When that happens, it changes how we relate to people around us. If you were rejected once, you might brace for rejection again, even when someone is trying to accept you. If you grew up with constant criticism, every bit of feedback may feel like condemnation. If you carry the wound of failure, you might sit back and stay silent rather than risk leadership. The tragedy is that insecurities often keep us from the very thing we want most: connection, trust, vulnerability.
And it doesn’t stop with people. Insecurities also change how we relate to God. Sometimes we treat Him like a boss we have to impress instead of a Father who delights in us. Sometimes we hold back in prayer, secretly wondering if He even cares. Sometimes we shrink back from opportunities He places in front of us, convinced we’re not good enough.
But here’s what Scripture says instead: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
God’s voice speaks a very different truth than insecurity ever will.
Still, if we don’t deal with our wounds, insecurities often push us into unhealthy ways of coping. We cover up by pretending we’ve got it all together; that’s pride. We lash out when old hurts resurface; that’s anger and bitterness. We chase comfort in lust, pornography, alcohol, or drugs. We measure ourselves against other people and always come up short; that’s comparison. We sit back instead of stepping up because we’re afraid to fail; that’s passivity. We try to control everything because trusting feels too risky; that’s control and perfectionism.
And sometimes we just numb ourselves, burying the pain under work, another drink, or endless scrolling. It becomes a cycle we know too well:
A wound happens → insecurity grows → sin becomes the coping mechanism → and over time, it spirals into anxiety, depression, or hopelessness.
I’ve seen it in my own life. When my mom lived in a large care facility, I often sat with some of the older men there. Over time, I noticed how many of them had carried wounds for decades — and those unhealed hurts had hardened them. Some were bitter, some estranged from their families, and many were weighed down by regrets. And I remember thinking, I don’t want to end up like that.
So, I made a decision. I listed out the wounds I was carrying and worked through them with a counsellor. It wasn’t easy; some of it was painful. But it was cleansing. And it showed me how things buried inside us always find their way outside. Healing those wounds mattered not only for me, but for my relationships.
That’s why the writer of Hebrews says, “Let go.” Not because we’re strong enough to fix ourselves, but because God has already marked out the race before us. He doesn’t ask us to run weighed down. He calls us to run free.
And running free begins with two things: humility and honesty. Humility says, “I can’t fix myself, but God can.” Honesty says, “Here’s where I’m wounded. Here’s where I fall. Here’s where I need healing.”
From there, the path forward is surprisingly simple. We can name our wounds before God instead of hiding them (Psalm 62:8). We can replace lies with truth by speaking Scripture over our lives (Psalm 139, Romans 8, Isaiah 43). We can practice vulnerability by sharing our struggles with a trusted friend (James 5:16). And we can say yes in faith, taking small steps into things fear has kept us from (2 Timothy 1:7).
The voices of insecurity, anxiety, and temptation may still whisper. But they don’t get the final word. The loudest voice in your life should be the Father’s, and He’s saying: “You are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)
So let go of the wounds. Let go of the sins. And run the race — not weighed down, but free.
Written by Ron Buschman, the Director of Operations
What’s holding you back? Where is God inviting you to trust Him? This weekend, September 20/21, we’re diving into what it looks like to let go of the wounds that hold us back and run the race God has marked out for us. Join us at any of our campuses!
You may also be interested in …
- Overcoming Sermon Series
- How to Fix Your Family, July 2025
- Making Space for Grace in Marriage, March 2025
