What is Confidence?

What is confidence? You may have heard someone say that they "have confidence in God." Others say they finally feel confident after looking at themselves in the mirror. So what does it mean? This is the secular definition of confidence (Oxford Languages):

con·fi·dence /ˈkänfədəns/ noun

1. the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.

• the state of feeling certain about the truth of something

So, having confidence in God must mean that we believe that we can rely on and firmly trust Him. It must also mean that we feel certain about the truth of God, His word. But I have more than confidence in God because I don't just believe I can rely on and trust Him, I know I can rely on and trust Him. In fact, if we have confidence that the Word of God is true, this has to be a fact. Alternatively, if we have confidence that we can trust Jesus, we know His Word must be true. When I placed my confidence in both Jesus and His Word, I found my identity. In this identity, I became unafraid of what people thought about my faith or the way I looked because Scripture tells me "it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." (Philippians 1:20) and "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:3-4)

When I found my identity in Christ, my perspective about myself changed. Moreover, my perspective about others changed. I learned I had to "encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and "A person's words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook" (Proverbs 18:4) I really began having to think about what I say. Would it build someone up? Is it life-giving? And if the answer is no, how can I stop myself from saying it?

Applying Biblical principles to your life takes more than confidence: it takes obedience. I have placed my trust in Jesus and firmly believe that His word is true, yet if I don't live out how He wants me to live, I can't be His follower. Even if it's difficult, we need to align our actions and focus on what Jesus wants us to do. We will fall short, and that's okay. We have confidence that Jesus died, rose on the third day, and was the atonement for our sins. We now can call ourselves sons and daughters of the King! But we can't take this for granted: we can't keep living our lives the way we have lived before. When we place our lives in Jesus' hands, we are reborn. It doesn't make sense to place your confidence in God and then not trust Him with His plans for your life. If you firmly trust and rely on God, you will allow yourself "to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) We can't satisfy both God and the world. We can't be in the middle ground. When Paul heard that the Galatians were following a different gospel from the one they had been taught, he flat out told them that they were wrong. He then says "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10) This is my favorite Bible verse because it reminds me to ignore the ideals and morals of the world and focus on receiving approval from God.

So my final question for you is what have you placed your confidence in? The world or God? Having confidence in Jesus definitely makes up our faith, as it is essential, but it is not the only thing we need. Placing our confidence in Jesus is a start on our journey with God, but it isn't our final destination. Being in a relationship with anyone, yes, even God, requires effort.

Imagine not talking to, listening, or spending time with a significant other that loved you. The only time you acknowledged them was when you needed a favor. How would that make them feel? This is an example of how we treat God sometimes. Clearly, that relationship isn't going to work. Put in the effort to know your Savior for who He truly is!

Have a great week and keep seeking Jesus!

Mia

"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chronicles 16:11)