ABC Scripture Challenge {Word #3}, Confidence 1/30/2011

I really struggled with our word for this week. I spent several hours studying two different words before this, and they just weren’t right. Was I relying on ‘self’? Maybe. Probably. And yes, I failed. Then God brought this word to my mind— (Copied and Pasted from Patter Cross Blog) http://triplethescraps.blogspot.com/

Challenge Word #3: Confidence

So as I began to study this word, I heard George Winston playing in the background. It was coming from the upstairs TV. I went up to see my daughter watching the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. I asked my daughter to rewind because I really felt I needed to watch this skater. God knew I would be drawn to George Winston. He knew how to get my attention! Anyway, as she came out onto the ice, the commentator says “Her problem has always been confidence.” I then started cheering “Yeah God. Thank you for confirming the word for this week.” I was SO excited. Then I see the skater close her eyes as she skates to the center of the ice. I thought “Oooh, she is praying? Maybe she is a Christian. How awesome.” Then the commentator comes in to say “Maybe that’s part of her new found confidence. Did you see her close her eyes and gather her thoughts?” Then I got frustrated. Maybe she wasn’t gathering her thoughts. Maybe she was praying. Why did he assume she was gathering her own self-confidence as she closed her eyes? What was she doing? I will never know for sure what she was actually doing but I do know when we rely on self-confidence instead of God-confidence, we will eventually fail just as I did with my first two attempts at writing today’s study.

As I prepared this study, God also encouraged me to make a God-confident list. As He brought things to mind, I thought “Lord, this list could go on forever.” And yes, because it is about Him, it certainly could. How encouraging it is to look at His confidence and not my own. This is the list I should be making not my own ‘achievement’ list. Here is the short list I started, and I encourage you to add to it. Back it up with scripture. Keep the list in your Bible. When you begin to think you can do it yourself, remember, our confidence needs to be placed in Him and not ourselves. Here is the beginning of my list:

I can be confident in God that:
• Salvation is only found in Him. (Acts 4:12)
• My salvation is certain. (John 10:27-30, Philippians 1:6)
• I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19)
• He hears and answers my prayers in His way and His time. (1 John 5:14-15)
• His love for me is endless. (Psalm 32:10)
• He keeps His promises. (Hebrews 6:13-14)
• God does not lie. (Number 23:19)
• His Word is truth. (Psalm 33:4)
• God continues to transform me daily into the image of His Son. (Romans 12:1-2)
*´¨) ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨) (¸.•´ (¸.•' Have A Great Day!
~Love Barbara~