I think there are two kinds of confidence: worldly and Godly. I think that the perception of true confidence has been distorted through time and we often have completely forgotten about what it truly means to have confidence in our Lord and Savior.
I want to take some time to explore the idea of what it means to follow a Godly call to confidence and how that should overflow into our everyday lives. I think most people can agree they go throughout the day and have times where they struggle with confidence. On the simplest level, it can be with your ability to “do the job right” at work or having a lack of confidence to reach out to a co-worker. Confidence constantly rears its head in our lives and throughout our days. As I continue to form thoughts on these two types of confidence I want to illustrate an idea of worldly confidence before looking at Godly confidence.
As fallen people, confidence is something that we all struggle with at times – some more than others. And Confidence combined with our sin nature often creates in us this idea that “I don’t want to be too confident” or come off as “I know it all.” So, I think we often err on the side of having this lack of confidence which is a direct result of erring on the opposite side of being too arrogant and self-confident. In our minds, and with much less social repercussions we “look better” and tell ourselves that we’re OK. We’re able to hide and navigate this area very well.
I’m positive (or is positive too confident? haha) that C.S. Lewis writes about this idea in his Screwtape Letters – which is a fictional book that through a series of letters, follows one of satan’s henchmen mentoring a younger henchmen how to attack and destroy a human. Anyways, in it C.S. explains that the enemy is just as happy with us falling on the passive and lack of confidence side – to satan its one side of the fence or the other. Whatever extreme he can convince you to follow he will attack.
The places where the accuser wants you include one of two extremes; 1) too confident, arrogant, prideful or 2) too timid, a lack of confidence, and a judgment towards prideful people which often leads to pride through the back door, or, “I’m better than that person because I’m not arrogant and prideful.”
As Christians we’re called into a divine confidence that has been given to us freely through the adoption as sons and daughters into the family of God.
This Godly confidence transcends all “worldly” confidences and acts as a compass towards the confidence that directly correlates, which would be a spiritual Godly confidence. We must pursue this Godly confidence and allow it to overflow into the confidences we have in this world. Does that make sense?
I was hit with this idea and question:
How can I be confident in what I do, at both the worldly and spiritual level, if I can’t be sure about the spiritual confidence that has been made known to us by Jesus?
Now friends, know this: you were adopted as a son and daughter into the family of God. You were given full authority to claim the kingdom come! Now let’s make it happen! Come on! Here’s a few passages that hammer home the idea of adoption and full confidence in Christ Jesus our Lord:
“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” – Romans 8:15
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” – John 14-13-15
“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” – Hebrews 3:6
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” – Hebrews 10:19-22
I want to challenge you to reclaim your confidence. Know that the Lord is the very creator of confidence and you should know that he has created it for good. These good gifts are promised confidence boosters, so get excited about them!
Be confident in what the Lord has given you and allow that confidence in the Lord to transcend and overflow into your daily lives!
Base Camp University 
Great point 🙂 we have the power to do this, and confidence is needed. However, balance…temperance is needed as in all things. Thoroughly enjoyed this.