Confidence is a strength that everyone admires. I
think true confidence comes from having faith in yourself. Well, not so much in
yourself, but in the knowledge that God will fill you with what you need, when
you need it.
Knowing that the Lord supplies, I shouldn't be
afraid. Ever.
God will supply all
your needs, in Jesus Christ, as lavishly as only God can.
Philippians 4:19
Fear and weakness, which are the
opposites of confidence, find a voice when faith evaporates. Weakness says: "You can't do it," and fear despairs, "God won't help you either."
Faith is essential if I want to live with confidence. Planted firmly in faith, I
can be courageous, no matter what. Faith tells me that God is with me, and he will equip me. Without faith-roots, I'll wither in the heat
of adversity.
A long time ago, I was a young Mom sitting at the table paying bills. I realized that our bank account was very low. I think we had a couple
hundred dollars. That was it.
Approaching my husband with tears in my eyes, I
reported our sorry financial status. I clearly remember that my husband put his
hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eye, and said: “We’re going to be
fine."
I had no idea how that was true, but just
hearing him say it calmed me. That Christmas, we got a generous check from
a family member, and you know…we were fine.
Through that short episode in our tiny
kitchen that day, I witnessed the powerful connection between faith and
confidence. My husband wasn’t fearless because he had pockets full of money.
He had something much better than that. He had pockets full of faith. And that
faith made him supremely confident.
He couldn’t see the fix for our financial
problem any more than I could. But the difference between my attitude of worry,
and his attitude of confidence, was faith.
St. Paul says that we will never be given any
challenge without a way to resolve it. It’s right in the bible (1 Cor. 10:13),
and Scripture is not just a collection of fun words and catchy phrases. It’s
the truth. And that truth sets me free from worry.
Anytime I am faced with difficulty, the Lord will give
me the means to overcome it. Whether it’s a financial problem, raising a
difficult child or dealing with gossip at work, none of these things should
defeat me.
If God is for us, who
can be against us?
Romans 8:31
Rooted in faith, I will rise up in confidence.
Yes, then I am able. With my roots sunk deeply in faith, there is no limit to what I can do in Christ. Because he is supplying the power.
I'll stand armed with precious Confidence,
surrounded by the love, protection, and grace of my Father.
I can do all things
in Christ who strengthens me.
(Philippians 4:13)
All I'll need are my pockets full of faith.
Labels: confidence, faith, fear, weakness
