I’m usually excited when a friend shares good news. But enthusiasm escaped me when a friend shared a recent accomplishment. Thankfully, we were on the phone. Otherwise, she would have seen my dark brown eyes turn green.

She would have noticed my frown betray the fake reply of “wonderful,” as it fell from my mouth. To be honest, this didn’t feel wonderful at all. Her good news was annoying. It kept tapping me on the shoulder like a nervous usher wanting me to move to another seat.

I tried to fake a reason to change the subject, until I sensed God saying, “Don’t be jealous, join her.”

I scrambled to maintain the conversation on the phone, while asking the Lord in my heart, “How am I supposed to do that?”

The God-sense continued: “Tell her you’re struggling. Tell her you’ll support her anyway you can.”  I said those words and the conversation shifted from fake to God-focused.

My friend was surprised when I made my confession. But she graciously listened and encouraged me. Then she shared her struggles too. We formed an accountability and prayer partnership. It meets both of our needs and exceeds our expectations.

It happened as I allowed my insecurity to be turned inside out. I could have kept it in — where it fed my fears and starved my ability to grow.

I could have become critical of what I lacked the courage to pursue.

But the Prince of Peace offers rescue from whatever belittles us or embitters us. (see Hebrews 12:15) Of course, He loves us as we are — insecurities and all. However, my encounters with Christ affirm His love and invite my transformation.

Sometimes I resist the change. But eventually I grow weary of self-sabotage. This was one of those times. Now the God-sense made sense. Because in the midst of our struggles, when a friendship forms a safe place, insecurity has no place to go but out.

The person who shuns the bitter moments of friends will be an outsider at their celebrations. – Proverbs 14:10 MSG

This post is part of my "Lessons I've Learned About Life (so far)" series for the #write31days challenge. To find out more start here.