For most of my life, I believed the pursuit of comfort and security was a noble goal. I was taught to build a nest egg, climb the ladder, and establish a life so well-fortified that no unexpected storm could shake its foundations. These aren’t bad desires, but I began to notice a subtle and dangerous shift in my own heart. Slowly, without me even realizing it, my pursuit of security had become the source of my security. The comfort I was building had become an idol I worshipped.
I remember reading Jesus's stark and unsettling words to a man who wanted to follow him: "Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (Luke 9:58). This verse struck me, not as a command to be homeless, but as a profound spiritual invitation. I realized that my call as a Christian was to dethrone the idol of comfort in my own life. It was a summons to a life of radical, moment-by-moment trust in God as my sole provider, my only true security, and my ultimate comfort.
My Idol With Many Names
My idol of security doesn’t look like a golden calf. Sometimes it looks like my banking app, which I check obsessively. Sometimes it’s the over-planning of every detail of my life, leaving no room for the Holy Spirit to move. It’s the paralyzing anxiety I feel when life deviates from the script I’ve written for myself.
An idol is anything I turn to for what only God can truly give: ultimate peace, lasting worth, and unwavering security. When my peace of mind rises and falls with my financial portfolio, I have found my idol. When my first instinct in a crisis is to figure it out myself rather than turning to God in prayer, I have revealed where my true faith lies.
The Open Hand: A Mindful Practice
The key to dethroning this idol, I've learned, is not about suddenly rejecting all worldly goods, but about cultivating a profound interior shift. It’s about being so captured by the "treasures in heaven" that I hold the "treasures on earth" with an open hand. To help me do this, I’ve integrated a simple, mindful prayer into my daily routine.
Practice: The Open Hand Meditation
Find a quiet space and sit comfortably. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Clench both of your fists tightly. As you squeeze, bring to mind the things you are clinging to for security—your career, your savings, your plans for the future, your reputation. Feel the tension in your hands and arms. Acknowledge that this tension is how your soul feels when it's grasping for control.
Slowly, intentionally, unfurl your fingers until your palms are open and facing up. As you release the tension, consciously offer everything you were clinging to back to God. Picture yourself placing them in His hands.
Sit for a few moments with your hands open. Meditate on this posture of surrender and trust. Your hands are now free to receive what God wants to give you and free to be used in His service. I often end by praying, "Lord, I surrender what I am clutching so that I may receive what You are offering."
From Anxious Thoughts to Trusting Breath
This journey is a moment-by-moment practice. Anxiety about the future can still creep in. In those moments, I turn to a practice that connects my mind, body, and soul: a breath prayer.
Practice: Breath Prayer for Trust
When you feel a wave of anxiety about uncertainty, pause. Close your eyes and focus on the physical sensation of your breath. As you inhale, silently pray a simple phrase, like "Jesus, I trust." As you exhale, complete the prayer: "in You."
(Inhale) Jesus, I trust...
(Exhale) ...in You.
Repeat this for a minute or two. This simple act re-centers my frantic mind, calms my nervous system, and re-orients my heart toward my true source of security. It moves my trust from the shaky ground of my own plans to the solid rock of Christ.
My True Resting Place
The call of Christ is a daily invitation to find my rest not in the stability of the world, but in the unwavering love of the Father. My security is not in a place, but in a Person. My comfort is not in my circumstances, but in my Companion, Jesus Christ.
I still have to manage finances and plan for the future, but these practices help me do so with an open hand and a trusting heart. My prayer for myself, and for you, is that we have the courage to dethrone the idol of comfort and find our one, true, and eternal resting place in the heart of God.