Confidence.
This is a word that has been coming to my mind a lot the
past week or so.
Usually, thinking about it makes me think of that song from
Sound of Music. You know, the one where a nervous Maria is coming to the Von
Trapp family home for the first time. “I have confidence in confidence alone; Besides
which you see, I have confidence in me!”
But there’s a pretty big problem with that song. And I have
been experiencing it a lot this year. If my confidence is in myself, I set
myself up for trouble.
As Paul said in Philippians 3:3-4, we should have no confidence in the flesh, even if
humanly speaking we have lots of good reasons to.
This morning I did a brief study about what the Bible says
about confidence. And it was both encouraging and convicting! These passages
point to having confidence in Christ and in His work in us, not in ourselves.
Here are the passages that my study brought to light. I hope
they encourage you as they do me!
Psalm 118:8 – “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put
confidence in man”—including myself!
1 John 3:21 – Our confidence is toward God, not toward
ourselves.
Proverbs 3:25-26 – “Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor
of trouble from the wicked when it comes; [when,
not if!] For the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from
being caught.”
Proverbs 14:16, 26 – The fool is self-confident, but strong
confidence is in the fear of the Lord, a place of refuge to His children.
2 Corinthians 5:5-9 – Our confidence is not in this physical
life, but in our spiritual future with Christ. Our aim is to please HIM!
1 John 2:28 – Abiding
in Christ gives us confidence!
Hebrews 10:32-39 – Don’t allow suffering and hardship to
make you cast away your confidence! Don’t draw back, but continue believing unto
salvation!
Ephesians 3:11-13 – Our boldness and confidence come through
faith in Christ!! And that enables us to not lose heart in tribulations.
Philippians 1:6 – Be confident in the work that HE is doing
in you! It is a good work, one that continues up to His completion.
Hebrews 3:6, 14 – We are called to hold fast our confidence
to the end!
2 Thessalonians 3:3-4 – The Lord is faithful to establish
and guard us! And so our confidence is in
Him.
Psalm 27:1, 3 – “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom
shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?....In
this I will be confident”!
1 John 5:14 – We can have confidence that God hears us when
we ask according to His will.
And so I’m asking Him to renew my confidence in Him. That I
would be steadfast and certain, not in my own talents or abilities—but in His
faithfulness and strength. Humbly abiding in Him, not relying in myself.
Because “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence
shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).
