Every day I wake up, stumble out of bed, my feet touch the piercing cold wooden floor and the day starts. Eventually I find myself lost in deep thought, and have something gnawing at my mind.
I ask myself what is this, things seem good in every definition of the word, and I have a sense of security in my life. That's it, I realise, I am surrounded by security. Overwhelmed by the desire to have finances balanced, a plan A through to Z for the future just in case things don't go securely. To have a sense of control, a sense of security; both of which mean exactly the same thing. Control is security and security control.
The desire
Then it hits me again, everywhere I look, every person I see around me is driven by this. The desire to have their life completely planned, controlled, secure. At the very core of my being, I hear God whisper, it was never meant to be this way, life was never meant to be secure, utterly planned, and certain. Life was meant to be full of faith—faith is security in Him.
I am overwhelmed by this. By what? By the fact we think we know it all and are secure and believe this fiercely.
Then I ask, what do we lose by having our security, our plans? It's a harsh reality. We lose the desire to take risks, to have a life full of faith.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing bad about desiring security, but I feel our desire for security greatly outweighs our desire for faith. I look around and see how difficult it is for us to leave room for faith when we seem so obsessed with comfort, with security. We have reached the point in history where the world and almost everyone in it is shouting, 'no, be secure, don't take risks, have a well thought-out plan.'
We are followers of Christ—the One whose security is in the faith of His Father's goodness and mercy—and yet we have gotten so caught up in having security, leaving no room for faith; faith in the security in the goodness of the Father.
Reality hits
Letting go of security is difficult. People say you need it, society today puts great emphasis on it. We have got to the point where we wouldn't know what to do without it. Essentially it's a matter of realising that the more security we have the less room we leave for faith.
Unfortunately it's something that is incredibly challenging. It is a process that requires training of the mind and going against everything that society is constantly saying to do.
A choice to be made
I have travelled more than most. In my travels I met people who have turned away from a life of security and traded it for a life of faith. Each person has told me just how freeing it is to live on faith and the crazy journeys they have experienced from doing so. Of course they have said it is beyond challenging but, at the same time, they wouldn't have had it any other way.
This is something I am starting to realise, while the world and everyone around me is saying to keep security, God is saying you don't need it, you have Him. When it comes down to it, a choice must be made: go the way of security or say no to that way of life and go the way of faith.
It's a choice that must be made every day and some days I make the wrong choice. However that's the beauty of it, each day is a new day, a new choice to be made.
Security or faith.
Ashley is currently working at Trois Fleches Productions based in a Christian organisation, Youth With A Mission, located in Quebec, Canada. During his free time Ashley can be found writing in various forms or reading an old book.
Ashley Menelaw's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/ashley-menelaws.html