Day 10: CONFIDENT
Ironically, I’ve been feeling insecure about today’s word.
Trying to think of what to say about a word regarding which I know so little, I headed to one of my favorite books: the thesaurus.
Some synonyms for “Confident” are PURSE-onality qualities I want to avoid:
- Audacious
- Brazen
- Presumptuous
- Pushy
But other synonyms invite exploration.
Courageous
In her TED talk “The Power of Vulnerability,” Brene Brown cites the original meaning of courage as “telling the story of who you are with your whole heart.”
I like that.
As a vicarious learner, I am richly blessed by Christians who risk vulnerability to tell the stories of what Christ has done, and is doing, in their lives.
Best of all is hearing one of my students sharing her testimony. Although her voice may be shaking, and her volume barely above a whisper, her open heart speaks with courageous power.
Hopeful
The move from expectations to hope is one of the great works God is doing in my life.
Does it take everyone decades of disappointment before they finally decide to pack up and leave expectations behind?
Or am I just an especially stubborn case? (Don’t answer that!)
I’m just now learning to quit meddling. To take a “Mind My Own Business Challenge” (any takers?!?) and stop forcing my expectations onto everyone within reach. To sit, instead, in silence, prayer, and hope.
Satisfied
A life-long perfectionist, I’ve spent four decades striving for, but never reaching, satisfaction.
- “If only ____ would _____, then I would…”
- “Just one more _____ and I could…”
- “When I finally ____, I will…”
Enough!
I’ve had enough of this entitled, insatiable, scarcity thinking!
Enough.
I’m finding that when I look for the good in my life, I have enough. I am more than satisfied.
Sure
When I became a teenager, my father told me, “If you ever need me to come get you, just call. I will come. You don’t have to explain. Just call. I will come. Or I will pay whatever the cost to get you home.”
I only called once.
He appeared within moments (it seemed!)
I knew, for sure, that he would come. Any time.
Self-Confident?
Being confident means that we have …
- … courage that Christ is working in our hearts.
- … hope in God’s perfect plans for our lives.
- … satisfaction with God’s blessings.
- … assurance that we can “just call” our Father. Any time.
(If you’re not able to see the image, download Ephesians 3:12 here.)
And others who are desperately
- seeking courage
- seeking hope
- seeking satisfaction
- seeking assurance
will see our Christ-confidence and be drawn to its Source.
Try this today
Pray that your heart will be opened to one specific situation requiring courage, hope, satisfaction, and/or assurance. Once identified, ask, “What would Christ-confidence look like in this situation?” Then, as the Holy Spirit leads, follow!
Leave a comment
- responding to today’s blog, and/or
- sharing your Day #1-10 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
- about anything else on your heart!
I can relate to today’s word. Have lived with it all my liife. Love today’s blog. This is reminder that God is making me new in him.
My husband is one of my greatest blessings. He has stood by my through some very difficult times and his love for me has never wavered. I’d be lost without him. God brought us together and God has kept us together. I thank God for him and for our wonderful children every single day.
The verse is a perfect reminder. Thank you for sharing from your heart to ours. May my confidence never be tied to expectations or even hopes…instead in the assurance of my Jesus.
this has been the best learning tool…I am learning each day to stand strong in my faith …trust and hand all things over to him…
All day long at work I am constantly thinking about how God would want me to be….for everything is to the glory of him….
Its getting so easy to stop stressing over the small stuff …thank you God!!
I love that the world may teach children (esp little girls) that all they need to succeed is self-confidence yet we are taught as Christians it is Christ-confidence that really is victorious. The world has no clue where our strength lies. The strength it takes to pick up the pieces and still praise God after a tragedy, a loss of a child or a failure of a business. We hold fast to the God who gives us the ability to have confidence through it all. I sat that told a room full of strangers how God has helped my hubby and I get through a huge loss after being deceived by one we thought loved us. We pretty much lost everything almost but we knew God was in control and that gave us the strength and hope we needed to put it all in His hands knowing He would “come for us” in our time of need. Thanks for this post, Cheri!
“Christ-confidence”…I like that!
I too love Christ-confidence! I am not a confident person,and lack self esteem. This study has really defined my personality and unfortunately, I have discovered I am quite the complainer. It’s pretty bad when you are told at work “switch your bracelet” several times, being caught complaining. I thought for sure I would not be able to get through this study, but with Christ-confidence, and His promise not to leave or forsake me, I will make it through to the end and hopefully be an even newer creature in Christ.
love this word! i struggle with putting conditions on my success and happiness..when…i’ll be happy or if…i’ll be successful. but by finding my confidence in Christ i can truly begin to be satisfied with today
Oh my! This is so good. And I don’t think you are alone or an especially stubborn case. 🙂 I love this description of being confident. So different from the worlds definition. Thank you!
It never ceases to amaze me how even just the tiniest bit of Godly confidence can take you so far. Relying on Him through this whole month is definitely required!
This was amazing! Would love to get this book!
This post brought tears to my eyes, with precious memories. My father told me the same thing when I became a teen. (Unfortunately, I had to call him more than once!) The time I knew for sure that he would come, ALWAYS, was when I called him from summer camp at 10 pm and wanted to come home 3 days early. I was in a cabin with 3 girls who kept sneaking out at night to meet boys and getting all 8 of us in the cabin in trouble every morning! When I woke up the next morning at 6 am, my dad was standing next to his truck in the parking lot, drinking coffee, waiting for me. We were on the road home- a 3-hour drive!- by 6:30 am.
My daughter is only 8, but we have already had the conversation and she has memorized my phone number, just in case. The security of being “sure” of my dad has enabled me to be just as “sure” of my heavenly father. It’s an amazing gift that I will share with my daughter too!
Winning this book would be amazing!!! I love you all and am so glad for this blog!
Thank you for defining confidence through a biblical/Godly perspective, as opposed to the world’s standards. Thank you for your words of wisdom, for sharing your own personal stories, and for transforming lives through this challenge! Connie Y
I would love to win this book. It is exactly what I need right now. I really enjoyed todays post. Thank you!
As Tara mentioned above…. this challenge has taught me so much more than I hoped for. Becoming acutely aware of how ungrateful we can be (because let’s be honest – being a complainer, sarcastic, or critical person is just selfishness and ungratefulness) has been such an eye opening experience for me! I love the thought above about sitting, instead in silence, prayer, and hope! I still far from where I want to be at this point, but I’m loving where I’m headed!!!
I entered the purse-onality challenge hoping to become more grateful than gripeful, but I’m getting so much more out of it than I expected. Loved todays focus on the positive aspects of confidence.
Our marraige is at a place after not even 2 yrs. where it seems as if that “lovin” feeling is not what it once was. I know that a lot of it has to do with my lack of confidence. I need some help and this would be a great tool.
I have had to really rely on God in my walk as a Step mom, there are so many challenges to loving a child that isn’t yours by blood (but many rewards as well). I know God put me in this family, in this situation for a purpose and I just need to remember to listen for his directions and follow where HE needs me to go. I know I wouldn’t be confident or strong enough to stick with my husband through the stress of all the drama created by the circumstances of a blended family without God. I am so thankful for HIS divine guidance, love and forgiveness! My husband and I have had a few rough patches in our 8 year marriage, some trials he knows about and some I muddled through on my own (with Gods help).
Does anyone actually say to themselves they have a BIG problem with over-confidence? I’m so grateful God loves us and is here for us when ever we may need Him. Thank you. DeAnna D
*GASP* I would love to win this book, my friend was talking about it the other day! This year has been about reconnecting has a family. This book would be awesome for us!
It makes me want to cry and smile knowing God is always there for us, always listens, always encourages, always ready and willing to fight for us when we call on him. What an awesome God we have! Natalie