Six Reasons to Be Confident
I’ve got this.
Do you ever find yourself trying to scrape up some self-confidence and convince yourself you’ve got things under control?
The other day, I was listening to the sound track from The Sound of Music. On her way to begin her new position as governess to the von Trapp children, Maria sings “I Have Confidence.” Though she’s always longed for adventure, her new role frightens her. As she skips down the drive and up to the gate, she sings herself a pep talk. She assures herself everything will be fine, the children will mind her, and the world will be hers.
“I have confidence in confidence alone, besides which, you see, I have confidence in me!” she sings.
It sounds like she’s trying to fake it till she makes it.
The word “confidence” paints a picture of a smiling, composed individual strutting into a room and unapologetically taking charge of every situation.
That composed individual would not be me. I certainly don’t have confidence in ME.
I’m more like Joseph’s brothers in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. They fear their worst nightmare might come true, that Joseph will rule over them. In the musical, the brothers sing:
“The dreams, of course, will not come true,
At least we think they won’t come true,
At least we hope they won’t come true.
What if he’s right all along?”
(Can you tell musicals have been at the top of my playlist recently?)
I’m not convinced my biggest dreams will materialize. I just hope my worst fears won’t come true. When I begin to assess my own abilities, my confidence crumbles.
In our social-media-driven culture, we’re pressured to promote ourselves, aren’t we? Even if we manage to put up a brave front, we may sometimes feel like imposters. So instead of taking inventory of our abilities and trying to tally up reasons for self-confidence, what if we found some reasons to be confident in God?
The apostle Paul, who had every reason to trust in his own abilities, training, lineage, and social standing, said this:
“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” ( 2 Cor. 3:4-5 ESV)
I searched God’s Word and found six things we can confidently expect God to provide.
Abiding Love
For those of us who belong to Christ, no mistake, no failure, no transgression will cause us to forfeit God’s love or to incur his judgment after we die.
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God and God in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is—so also are we in this world.” (1 John 4:16-17 ESV)
Access to God
We can come to God to receive mercy, grace, and help. No need to take a number or wait in line.
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 ESV)
“(Christ Jesus our Lord) ….in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.” (Eph. 3:12 ESV)
Answer to Prayer
We don’t have to jump through hoops in order to have our needs met or our petitions heard. He’s not waiting for us to mess up so he can stamp a big, fat “Reject” sign on our prayer requests. When we come with a pure heart, asking according to his will, God will answer and give us what is best.
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14 ESV)
“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” (1 John 3:21-23 ESV)
Assurance of Growth
We don’t have to launch a self-improvement campaign to please God. We just have to let Him do His work in us.
“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6 NASB)
Power
God doesn’t want cowering followers. He gave us his powerful Holy Spirit to enable us to do the work he’s called us to do.
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)
Protection
Nothing can touch us without God’s permission. We can be confident God is infinitely greater than our critics, opponents, and adversaries.
“So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:6 ESV)
“Though an army encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise against me, yet I will be confident.” (Ps. 27:3 ESV)
“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Prov. 3:26 ESV)
Instead of mulling over our inadequacies, let’s meditate on God’s infallibility. Instead of focusing on our shortcomings, let’s talk about our all-loving, all-powerful, all-wise, all-seeing, approachable, strong, and faithful Lord. I’m confident God is able to do what he says he will do. In me. In you. In all of us.
God’s got you.
spends most days teaching a classroom full of lively five-and six-year-olds. She’s attracted to be fragrance of vanilla, the printed word, and all things blue and white. She delights in spending time with her husband and family, singing praises with her church choir peeps, and traveling. Her heart’s desire is to know God better and learn to trust him more. You can read more of her writing at MargaretKemp.com.
Photograph © Alexis Chloe, used with permission
