Finding Confidence

Good morning!

Confidence.  I used to define confidence as “trusting in my abilities”.  Since I was a young child I grew up believing I could do anything I set my mind to.  I grew up roping and competing at rodeos starting at a young age.  The harder I worked at it, the better I got and I began to trust in that ability that I was developing.  The more I trusted that I could do it, the more confident I became.

It reminds me of a boy I’ve read about…a boy who tended to his father’s sheep and goats.  Day in and day out he was out in the fields watching over the flocks.  It was his responsibility to make sure they stayed safe, stayed all together and didn’t wander off.  The opportunity David had to protect his father’s flocks had developed his character and he had gained confidence.  So when the giant Philistine was threatening the Israelite army, he had no problem saying “I’ll go fight him!” (1 Samuel 17:32)  David had confidence.

But more important than his confidence in his ability, David had confidence in his God.  He didn’t hesitate.  He didn’t shrink back in fear.  He didn’t doubt when everyone else did.  He believed.  He believed he could and he believed his God would.  I love how the scriptures tell us that as Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. (1 Samuel 17:48)  Confidence.

Confidence has everything to do with trust.  We place our trust in people, in our abilities, but are we ultimately placing our trust in the LORD?

We fall short, people fail us, our abilities will fade but the LORD…He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  (Hebrews 13:8)  And He is someone who we can be confident in that will never fail.  We can quickly run, just as David did, full of confidence in this life because we trust in his promises, his faithfulness, and his goodness.

Blessings,

The Johnston’s