God-Confidence

If you've read this blog any at all, you know that one thing I sometimes struggle with is confidence. I beat myself up a lot about stuff that really doesn't matter. I second guess decisions and am hesitant to try new things because I'm afraid that I'll fail. This summer, I read Grace for the Good Girl by Emily Freeman, and it really helped me recognize my tendencies in doing these things, and realizing that it's okay to not be confident in myself...

Because I can be confident in who I am in Christ. This week's Bible verse for the Greater study really hit home. Yesterday, I read it in three different email devotions I subscribe to, so I'm thinking that God's got a "greater" message for me. Hebrews Chapter 11 is probably one of my favorite chapters in the Bible (if you've not read it.. stop. Open your Bible. If you don't have a Bible, go to biblegateway.com. Glance through it. But please come back.). As you read those hall of fame names, realize that they. are. everyday. people. Everyday people God used to do extraordinary things. They really weren't anything special. Some of them were downright scandalous until they met Jesus.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1. Without faith it is impossible to please God... because He wants us to rely fully and completely on Him. Faith, by definition, is confidence. You may not see how something will happen, but you know that it will. It is full assurance, no doubting. No doubting... that's the hard part.

I loved the Message Translation. "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see." Fundamental and foundation... because without true faith, our religion is just that, religion. Without faith, confidence in God, we can't experience the true relationship He wants to have with us. And that relationship is what makes life worth living... when illness comes, when we don't know where we will get money to pay the light bill, when relationships crumble... when we lose all we have... when we see our children smile and laugh... in the good times and the bad, this faith, confidence, trust in God makes it all worth living... makes it possible to get up in the morning and do this whole thing called life again, day after day, trouble after trouble... because He is still good. He is still God, and part of having faith is knowing that no matter where you are, He's there, and a better day is coming. Even on our best day, a better day than we could every imagine is coming... because His grace is sufficient.