“You have to wonder how many people really struggle with confidence. If I’m being honest with you, I do. Am I good enough for this job? Am I the best husband I can be? Am I the best father I can be? I try not to let it get out of hand. I saw this, ‘God’s never been interested in you being enough.’ Moses didn’t think he was good enough, people didn’t think David was strong enough. Maybe you’re in the ‘not enough’ mindset like I get in sometimes. Just know that God loves to show up in the ‘not enough’ to teach you that He is more than enough.” ~Todd Stach
Do you struggle with confidence?
Have you ever thought about what that really means? We hear the message coming at us from every direction: believe in yourself, follow your heart, trust your gut, be strong and confident…but let’s really look at what those messages mean for a Christian.
Confidence, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means “a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances. A faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way.” “A state of mind or a manner marked by easy coolness and freedom from uncertainty, diffidence, or embarrassment. Confidence stresses faith in oneself and one’s powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance.”
Confidence is crucial…but maybe not in the way we’ve been taught. Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about confidence.
1) Our confidence can be misplaced.
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18.9-14
If we place our confidence in our own righteousness, intentions, motives, past performance, etc, we are on dangerous ground. The Bible tells us in no uncertain terms that our own hearts and feelings cannot be trusted (Jeremiah 17), our motives are often wrong (James 4), and our righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord (Isaiah 64). (As bad as that sounds, there’s good news! Keep reading!)
In addition to that, going back to the Webster definition, it seems like pretty common knowledge these days not to trust in our circumstances. If the last two years has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t find our joy in our circumstances.
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2) We can find our confidence in God’s promises.
This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.
Titus 1.2
May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
Hebrews 13.21
All the confidence we need can be found in Jesus. Even though we can’t put trust in ourselves, we can trust God to equip and guide us when we follow Him. If you haven’t done much Bible study, or you’re not sure what God has promised His people, find a Bible study or devotion to help you get equipped with the promises of God. A few options:
The Promises of God by R.C. Sproul
Unshakeable Hope by Max Lucado
The Promises of God by Charles H. Spurgeon
3) Our confidence in God casts out fear.
So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Hebrews 13.6
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.
1 John 4.17
Coming to terms with the fact that we shouldn’t have confidence in ourselves is scary. I don’t know about you, but for me it sets off all these alarms in my brain that say, “If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?!” But that’s where some good old mind-renewing comes in. When you find yourself thinking that you need to figure out how to be more confident, or on the other hand, if you find yourself turning again and again to your own understanding, bring yourself back to the Scriptures and back to the only One who can hold our confidence.
For more thought-provoking topics, tune in to Hope 100.7.
God bless you. Stay hopeful! ❤️
