Ezekiel 21-22 / Hebrews 10:1-17 / Psalm 108 / Proverbs 27:12
How many of you have ever felt insecure about anything? I know I have. Insecure, lacking in confidence, uncertain or unsure; all these words describe our hearts at times. Sometimes we just don’t know what to do or how to respond in a situation, and we’ve all felt this way. Even the most secure-looking or sounding person has situations in which she is unsure of herself.
I believe we will be insecure if we put our trust in the wrong thing or person. I’ve heard people say, “I don’t trust anyone but myself!” May I say that trusting yourself is dangerous! You are imperfect. You have days when you know what to do and days when you are bewildered by the dealings in life.
Do you always rely on your own ideas and wisdom? Do you ever ask someone else for their input or opinions? What about God? Have you ever asked for His input, opinions, or answers to your questions? Wisdom is hard to come by at least true wisdom: the kind that provides a solid foundation so that you feel secure about your next move.
Psalm 108:1 in the New International Version (NIV) has a word that will revolutionize your life and mine. So, I want to share the word with you! First, here is the verse: “My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing Your praises with all my heart!”
Have you ever been so confident that you were singing at the top of your lungs? Or have you ever met someone who is that confident? That is the picture that develops in my mind when I read this verse. Most of us hide when we sing. Why? Maybe we can’t carry a tune, or maybe we are afraid of what others will think.
I believe God is blessed and pleased when we are confident enough in Him to let loose with praise, songs, laughter, or whatever expression is on our hearts. The word I want to further study is confident and as we have so often discovered, this word is full of beautiful meaning.
The word confident in the Hebrew from the Strong’s Concordance is kun (koon). And here are a few of the things this word means: “To be firm, be stable, be established, to be set up, be fixed, be secure, be enduring, be securely determined, to be directed aright, be steadfast in a moral sense, to prepare, be ready, be arranged, and be restored.”
I didn’t list every definition but I did pull out most of the meanings. However, even from this list, you can see the strength of this word: “My heart is confident in You, O God.” Imagine if Jesus Christ were your foundation. I ask you to imagine it that way because; the word confidence strikes me as a very foundational word.
I believe if we are confident, according to the definitions above, there will be nothing we cannot accomplish through God’s Spirit. If confidence in God is my foundation, I can certainly build anything of weight upon it. It will neither crumble nor collapse. When I’m building by the Spirit, I am both listening to His instructions and using His tools to build. My gifts and talents will be fully used because I will be operating according to my God-design.
Once we know who we are in Christ, both as a general follower and as an individual, we will be able to confidently live our lives the way He purposed. We will rule in the earth, we will share truth, we will see others go free. Confidence is a huge asset in our Christian life.
If you do not currently feel confident, I invite you to open your heart to Jesus Christ and listen to Him to find the path He has already established. Once you’re on that path, listen for His instructions. As you follow Him, He will do the hard part. Remember that our job is to believe in Jesus Christ and to speak the Truth in love. The rest is up to Him!
