Confidence In Christ

Confidence just may be one of the most important traits an individual can have. From an early age we see confidence in action. Recently our 19 month old discovered how to climb up on the couch by herself and she no longer had to ask for help. The first time she did it she celebrated, and then she got down off of the couch to see if she could do it again. The more she succeeded, the more confidence grew within her. However, when she begins to become a little tired, the task becomes more difficult and she finds herself frustrated. At the first sign of difficulty she loses her confidence.

How closely does thish relate to our walk with Christ. At first we lack any confidence as we navigate who we are in Christ. Often, when storms present themselves in our lives, our confidence disappears and we find ourselves defined by our circumstances instead of defined by our faith. It takes a season of maturing and developing that confidence. It takes time of drawing near to Him and allowing Him to draw near to us. Sometimes it requires us allowing the Holy Spirit to take hold of our lives in a new way.

Over the last few years I have worked with countless people who bring a plethora of situations to me. One common thing I see in these situaitons is a lack of confidence in God. Often times many of us, myself included, limit what we think God is capable of. For example, in a period of surrender, we often forget that God is extremely capable. God isn't just capable of anything, but he takes great joy in our surrender, and replacing the thing in which we are giving up with a great amount of peace and joy. Often we hesitate to have confidence in God because we fear that our hands will be left empty once we let go. But in fact it is the opposite. The more we experience God's love through surrender, the more our confidence in him grows. The act of letting go and trusting in Him, time and time again, allows us to develop confidence, as almost every time the result is a positive one when we let Him take complete control.

At the forefront of importance, is developing a confidence in who God is, and partnering that with a confidence in who we are in Christ. I have always believed beyond any doubt that Jesus Christ came and lived a life as a man, died upon a cross, and rose again in replacement of our sins. But that is just the beginning. We need to allow a confidence in God to grow and mature from that point. We need to begin to understand that he does have good and perfect plans for us and that he will take care of us through everything. That temporary pain may be a chance to glorify him, but that ultimately he will heal, he will conquer, he will provide.

This confidence then flourishes when we also begin to understand who we are in Christ. We are righteous. We are blameless. We are pure. We are forgiven. We are a child of the one true King. We are seated at His right hand.

Over the course of the last few months I have seen this confidence reach new depths in my own life. Increasing the time I spend drawing near to him has directly correlated to the abundance an abundance of confidence in Him. I can truly say I am more confident today than I have ever been. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus Christ is King!  I know that I serve an amazing God. Even through my struggles and my shortcomings, I know that I am forgiven. I know He is capable. I know that seasons of difficulty are just that, seaons. I know that, through me allowing Him, He will be victorious in every area of my life. I know that I am His.

This confidence becomes extremely rewarding as it carries over to other areas of our lives. I am confident that even though we are figuring it out as we go, that we will be incredible parents to Oakley.  I am confident in my marriage and this confidence breeds an even deeper level of love between us. This confidence also carries over to my poker game. I truly believe I have positioned myself as one of the Kansas City areas greatest cash game players. All of these things began by developing some level of confidence. They required constant communication with God and a trust in my Creator.

One thing all these areas have in common is that this confidence didn’t develop over night. It was fed, and nurtured and it grew through putting in the work. Time in the word; a consistent dialogue with God; investing in my wife and my child with my time, my attention, my energy, and my intentionality; researching and studying to further grow my confidence in all areas.

Storms do come, and they will continue to come as we live out our lives. However this confidence, when allowed to take deep root in our lives, provides stability. When something is rooted deeply, it does not fly freely in the wind. It is grounded. When we are rooted, we can begin to even out the highs and the lows and our life becomes more balanced. We are no longer greatly affected by obstacles or challenges because we have complete confidence in the Lord.

I'm going to leave you with just a few verses on the subject, but know that there are many, many more. A simple search on confidence will bring forth many more verses for you to meditate on and find rest in!

Hebrew’s 10:35-36

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Psalm 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Ephesians 3:12

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Hebrews 4:16

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Isaiah 49:31

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Jeremiah 17:7

But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.