Self-Confidence vs. Real Confidence

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Let’s talk about something that seems to be a real problem for a lot of people: confidence. 

Maybe the reason this is a problem for people is because we have believed a lie: confidence is all about believing in yourself. 

Real Confidence is Not About Us. 

We are broken and flawed creatures who in ourselves have nothing worthy. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of light, the Lord who is love. BUT GOD, who is flawless, and in whom is all our strength and hope, in Him we can have confidence. 

The respect and proper reverence of God (the fear of God) builds confidence! When we truly know that God is the author and the finisher of our faith; He holds the pen that writes our story, and when we worship Him in spirit and truth for His faithfulness to us, then we can know without a doubt that He is worthy of our trust in Him. 

Confidence (Noun) is defined as: full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing or certitude; assurance. 

Confidence is not something that is achieved overnight. 

Arnold in School. Photo credit unknown. 

Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a kid. He was skinny. He did not have the muscles that would one day make him famous. He had chicken legs and big ears. It wasn't until he began exercising and focusing on muscle development that things for him began to change. 

So how do we develop real confidence- the kind that is not found in us, but that relies on who God is in us and what He will do for us? 

                                   We fail. 

Not what you wanted to hear, I know, but until we realize we cannot do everything on our own, we won’t truly understand why we need God in the first place. 

If you are a parent you understand this. When your child is learning to walk, they fall, they scrap their knees: they fail. Your child figures out he cannot walk on his own yet. So your tiny little one holds onto your finger or sits in a walker. This builds their confidence. It brings them balance. We, God’s children, are no different. 

Proverbs 3:5 The Message (MSG) 

5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst. Your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this. 

When we are humbled then we look to God for His answers and His way, which are better than our ways and ideas. 

“There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, that way leads to death” Proverbs 14:12 

The Benefits of Confidence in God 

When we have confidence and trust in God, we free ourselves from anxiety and worry. These things are the opposite of faith. They cripple our relationships and stunt our growth, but if anxiety and worry are staples in your life, then other things like fear and lack, bitterness and envy are probably some of the things you deal with too. I know I do. 

Simple trust breaks the power of worry. Confidence in God to provide, to fight on your behalf, to give you direction, to bring you peace and a fruitful end, this is what God wants for you. 

God doesn't “need” you to have confidence in Him to exist. God is. What God wants is your trust because it helps you. It makes your life easier. It changes your circumstances. When we allow the Spirit of God to dwell in our everyday and we rely on Him, then we can rest and prosper. 

Isaiah 32:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT) 
16 Justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness in the fertile field. 17 And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. 18 My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest. 

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says: “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” 

Reflection 

What is one way you can rely on the Lord today and begin trusting Him like never before? How do you build your confidence?