The Source of Genuine Confidence
Such confidence as this [in ourselves] is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NIV)
How can we have self-confidence as Paul
describes? Many evangelical Christians
lack self-confidence. An emphasis on
depravity (everyone falls short of God's standards) without emphasizing God’s
provision in this life, leads to poor self-confidence. Complete confidence in God’s provision
depends on His absolute sovereignty.
Anything less leads to an incomplete gospel that tells how Christ
rescued us from Hell, but not how God provides for us here on
earth.
Many have sought to correct for low
self-confidence by downplaying our sinful nature and the need to repent without
learning what the Bible says about self-confidence and daily life. This naive optimism ignores that we don't know the future and need God's guidance, providence,
and correction. It takes the approach if
people keep trying, though they may first fail, they will eventually succeed. James clearly warns against self-confidence
based on one's own plans (James 4:13-17)
.
Some parents raise children to believe in
themselves without being plagued with feelings of guilt and sin. However, children can become self-centered
and come to believe the world revolves around them. They want their own way and are unaccustomed
to criticism. When teachers punish them
or other students criticize or reject them, the result is anger sometimes to
the point of violence.
We can have confidence in Christ directing
our lives. This confidence comes from
God's all-powerful ability, not from our limited abilities. Just as children gain security from a strong
marriage and family relationship between their mother and father, Christians
gain confidence from God's sovereignty and His ability to guide, correct, and
provide for us. We don’t
know the future, but God does. Of
course, belief that God loves us and desires what’s best for us is fundamental to genuine confidence. Along with this, God is able to make sure that
we receive what
is best even when it doesn't seem that way.
Obeying God gives us this confidence. God revealed His will in the Bible. Reading the Bible regularly lets us know what
it says. However, knowing what the Bible
says does little good without a willingness to do what God says in His
Word. In fact, we can’t really understand the Bible without a willingness to
do what it says. If we let selfish desires
influence our interpretation of Scripture, then we will twist its
meaning to something different than God intended.
Sometimes we think we must know all God plans
for our entire lives to do God's will.
This might be true if fulfilling God's will were completely up to
us. We need to have the confidence that God
works through us.
If we truly desire to do God's will, He will guide, correct, and enable us. Remember God sees and values who we are on the
inside while people only observe the
external. God will use external
circumstances to shape who we are inside.
When we
put too much value on external circumstances, the situations God puts us in may seem
cruel. God's goal in this temporary life
is for us to develop the character that persists eternally into the next life with
Him in Heaven.
©2003 Perry Vernon Webb. You may quote this page
in part or the whole as long as you do not alter the wording and reference this
Internet page as the source of the quote.
How
to receive a new life in Christ.
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