Confidence

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).