What is confidence? Confidence is assurance and belief in oneself and your capabilities. Confidence is faith and trust.
When I was younger I had the habit of placing my trust and confidence in too many people and things that were not healthy for me. I had such little confidence in myself and my objectives that I turned to those people or things that gave me just a hint of satisfaction to my liking. Needless to say this steered me down a long, dark path of misery and defeat.
I am forever grateful for that path that God took me down for it lead me to his graciousness and beauty. I never felt as confident in myself and my life as I do today. It is through placing my faith and trust in the Lord my God that I have gotten to this point in my life.
It was not easy. Once I accepted Christ in my heart there was not an automatic switch that made me feel more confident, that made me feel more worthy for all time. Yes, at the point of acceptance I felt happier, more hopeful, more loving, but the road to self-confidence took some time.
In order for me to have confidence in myself I needed to accept who I was in God. In order to accept who I was in God I needed to know who that person was. This took time. Time to study God's Word. Time to pray. Time to learn how to pray. Time to gain courage to walk into a room full of other people who to me seemed to know God so well that they would make me feel so stupid in my lack of knowledge. I needed to trust God and step out into faith and willingly subject myself to others in order to learn of His grace and love. To not fear being wrong or regardless of that fear accept that I can be wrong and still be loved.
It was not until I allowed myself to be subject to mistakes and errors and accept that I am only human that I came to a greater understanding of God's mercy and faith and His purpose for me. Through this process I began to see what God sees - an image of beauty that He had created for a reason.
God has given me eyes to see not only my real beauty but yours too. He has given me ears to hear His calling upon my life and to hear the awesome sounds that He has given to us each day. He has fulfilled me so that I am able to enjoy life more fully as I follow His Spirit's calling for me each day.
My confidence exceeds my understanding when I place my full faith in Christ. I am able to do what I need to do and desire to do when I live my life according to God's will for me.
Have you placed your faith in something bigger and better than yourself. Your Maker. Who better to turn to in a time of need and despair than the man upstairs that knows us better than anyone else, even ourselves.
Allow yourself to be driven by His Spirit and gain confidence in yourself through your trust and faith in Him.
The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable. ~Paul Tillich
God loves you no matter how unacceptable you may think you are. Stop allowing other people's stones and your own to keep you from being who God intended you to be. Step out into faith.
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