Being confident
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus
Philippians 1:3-6 (NIV)
How confident are you in everyday things? I will at times carry two car keys with me, because I am not confident that I will not lock them in my car; I have done this many times in the past. I check and recheck things because I am not confident that I have done them right or remembered them as I should. When I go on a trip, I check and recheck all of the details. I still almost missed my flight when I forgot the time change as I flew across the states. When facing the rope bridge at the Crater Lake Zipline I was not confident even though I had on a harness that was secured in two ways to a strong cable. Being under confident can really hinder you.
But what about overconfidence? There are many accidents because someone is overconfident that they can make that corner at a high speed or beat that red light. How many people have lost their lives because they were overconfident that they could drive through the water in front of them to the other side? Young people get into a lot of trouble being overconfident, thinking that they are invincible. This is what I call the superman complex. Proverbs 23:4 says, ‘Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.’ We have learned to not trust others. Is it safe to trust ourselves?
Where should we focus our confidence? Paul said he put his confidence in God. He was grateful for the receptiveness of his fellow brothers and sisters. He planted the gospel message in their hearts and he knew God would supply what was needed for them to not only grow in faith, but to grow fully to maturity. We are told in Jerimiah 17:7, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Paul put his faith and confidence in God. Hebrews has what is called the faith chapter. Hebrews reminds us of others who put their confidence in God, and how we may do so as well (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19; 11:1; 13:6).
Despite all that David went through in his life, he still put his confidence in God’s goodness. He said, ‘I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Psalm 27:13). He put his faith and his trust in God, as is shown in, Psalm 143:8, ‘Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.’
I do not put a lot of confidence in the world solving its problems. I do not even put a lot of confidence in my own strength, but I am confident that God will keep his promises to us. I am confident that God loves us. I am confident as Paul said, that God will complete the work of faith, of salvation, and of redemption in all who put their trust in him. That is where our confidence needs to be.
Prayer
You will never fail us, our precious God, you will remain by our side working within us the things that need to change, and you will bring us to your door, bring us home to your loving arms. I thank you God for your faithfulness to us all. I put my confidence in you! In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Anne Gillam
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.
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