How To Build Your Confidence In God
For almost of my life, I remember being insecure almost how I looked, talked, and performed in school or sports.
I felt afraid of rejection or non being liked in friendships because I was chubby, couldn't read very well, and wasn't smart or athletic enough.
I was ever looking for approval from friends, women, or family. Over time I learned to ignore my insecurity and pretend it wasn't there, merely it never left.
I have tried to put my security in things, people, and what I can practice. Only the insecurity inevitably returns as all of those things are unable to consistently give me the confidence I need and desire.
There take been times in my life where I was very confident, and all of those times involved a focus on God. Only I accept struggled to sustain that conviction.
My aim for us in this study is to reply the question, "How do I develop conviction in God?" through v helpful steps.
Believe conviction is constitute in God
One of the most meaning challenges for me in becoming confident is to believe God'southward way is amend than whatever I am trying to practise to detect confidence. This is the commencement and most crucial step.
Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I'chiliad overwhelmed past the privileges that come with following you, for you take given me the best! [7] The way you counsel and right me makes me praise you more, for your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do adjacent.
[8] Because yous are close to me and always bachelor, my confidence will never be shaken, for I feel your wrap-around presence every moment. [9] My heart and soul explode with joy-full of glory! Even my body will residuum confident and secure. Psalm 16:half dozen-9 TPT
This scripture gives us a flick of what it will look similar when we genuinely develop confidence in God. God promises us a few things if we plough to him for confidence.
He promises to atomic number 82 the states to "pleasant places." He promises to show us what to exercise side by side. He promises to always be available for us.
God sets united states up to be close to him (Acts 17:24) and guides u.s.a. forth his "pleasant path" through the Bible (Psalm 119:105) as well as by putting people in our lives who betoken us to him (Hosea 11:4). When we believe these things about God and decide to believe His give-and-take over our emotions and insecurities, we will exist confident and secure.
Intermission and reflect
- What will you look similar when yous are confident and secure?
- How is God guiding yous now?
- Find a scripture to hold onto that gives yous faith that yous find conviction in God. Read it, pray about it, and choose to believe information technology daily!
Identify your conviction killers
In that location are so many places I cull to put my confidence other than God that I am not always even aware of. I demand to ho-hum down, think, and identify where else I'm going for conviction.
If you need wisdom, enquire our generous God, and he will give it to you. He volition not rebuke you lot for request. [6] Simply when you ask him, exist sure that your organized religion is in God alone. Exercise not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled every bit a wave of the ocean that is blown and tossed by the wind.
[seven] Such people should non expect to receive anything from the Lord. [8] Their loyalty is divided between God and the earth, and they are unstable in everything they practice. James one:five-7 NLT
God says that he volition give us anything nosotros ask for if we rely entirely on him. We have to be fully committed, which means getting rid of whatever nosotros turn to instead of God. Information technology's essential to identify where we turn, so we tin sympathize the effects on our lives and others when we turn away from God.
When trying to become conviction in temporary and superficial things, we cease up unstable and unsettled. I have consistent insecurity and worry about people not approving of me, a skillful situation going wrong, or unbelief that a bad situation tin go improve. This instability internally makes it so I tin can't enjoy life while I alive information technology, even when most of life is going well.
Jeremiah 17:half dozen describes this as not being able to "see prosperity when it comes." In society to modify, we must beginning place the fickle places where we put our confidence and correctly identify them as "confidence killers."
Where do you try to place your confidence?
- Control/Circumstances (Proverbs 28:26) – We think if our circumstances change, then we'll exist confident (health, finances, dating, marriage, chore).
- Coin (1 Timothy 6:17) – Nosotros think more money will bring confidence.
- Achievement (Proverbs 11:7) We think accomplishing goals in work or life will bring confidence.
- People (Proverbs 29:25, Proverbs 25:19) – We think people liking us or respecting united states will bring conviction.
- Pleasure (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11) – We think feeling pleasance will give us confidence.
Intermission and reflect
- What conviction killer(s) do y'all plow to? Why?
- How has turning to these affected you, others, and your human relationship with God?
- How tin you turn from your confidence killer(s) to God?
Pray with unashamed honesty
Information technology may have been hard for yous to identify your confidence killers. If so, you're not alone. It'due south hard for me to admit my sin and weaknesses without feeling ashamed. Still when I hibernate my sin and weaknesses inside, I remain insecure and unchanged.
I'k wearied! My life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing and sadness. Because of all these troubles, I accept no more strength. My inner being is so weak and fragile. [14] I'm drastic, Lord! I throw myself upon you, for you alone are my God!
[fifteen] My life, my every moment, my destiny—it's all in your hands. So I know you tin deliver me from those who persecute me relentlessly. [16] Let your shining face shine on me. Let your undying dearest and glorious grace save me from all this gloom. Psalm 31:10, xiv-sixteen, TPT
In this prayer, David is gut-level honest with God. To develop confidence from God, we have to rely on him, and that means putting everything we remember and feel out into the open. This is the most significant roadblock to me being close to God.
I don't like expressing emotion and need for God even when it's then evident that I need assistance. When I encounter the truth of my flaws, fears, insecurities, and sin, I feel weak inside and like I need help.
I spent most of my babyhood and young developed life running from those emotions. What I have come to realize, though, is that if I don't face those weaknesses I have on the inside, they stop up driving my life and actions whether I like information technology or non. I alive out my insecurity, fright, and frustrations, which atomic number 82 me to be self-focused and non fun to be effectually.
God wants to and is meant to be that safe space for us where we tin can tell him anything, and he will not run. Like the scripture says, he has "undying love."
In that location is aught we can say or do that he doesn't desire to hear about. And when we are completely honest with him, he gives the states the clarity and courage to be honest with others.
Pause and reflect
- What are the hardest things for you to pray nigh? Why? (emotions, sins, needs, dreams, desires, hurting, gratitude)
- Decide to be courageous and pray almost the hard things. Make a choice to trust God at the end of your prayer.
Obey God to build confidence
God's word is powerful, and even merely reading information technology builds faith (Romans 10:17), simply the real confidence comes from applying it.
But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are merely fooling yourselves. [23] For if you listen to the discussion and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
[24] You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look similar. [25] But if you lot look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what y'all heard, then God volition bless you lot for doing it.
James ane:22-25 NLT
You come across that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was fabricated complete past what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was chosen God's friend.
James ii:22-23 NIV
In that location is an understanding, belief, and confidence that can only come when we do what God tells us.
In high school, I had an excellent basketball motorbus. His focus was for us to become the best-conditioned team and for everyone, regardless of talent, to work really hard on defense. We listened, we ran, we worked hard on defense, and nosotros put into practise everything we were taught.
I would go angry at our passenger vehicle for wanting united states of america to run more, would be afraid of messing up, and would disagree with how he taught u.s.a.. I didn't want to obey him half the fourth dimension, considering what he asked us to do was painful and uncomfortable. But I had plenty faith to exercise information technology anyhow.
By the terminate of the flavour, I was in the best shape of my life. Nosotros were ranked tenth in the land and were undefeated in our league. The whole city would come out to scout us play.
I learned a valuable lesson from that experience, which we can employ to God and his word. If we listen to God and do what he says, victories, confidence, and the blessings will come.
We volition need to persevere when information technology'southward not piece of cake. Just a little faith in action goes a long way (Matthew 17:20). God wants united states of america to succeed and win, and He wants to bless u.s.a..
In James 2, we learn that, when you take religion enough to deed, the actions you lot have will only increment your organized religion, considering you volition run across God's word coming true in your life.
Interruption and reflect
- When was the last time you lot read a scripture and then obeyed it?
- What is an surface area of your life where you need a breakthrough?
- Continue information technology simple! Discover a scripture that applies to that area and obey it for a week.
Develop confidence daily
One of my challenges with developing confidence in God is sticking with the steps in a higher place daily. I don't stick with it because it's uncomfortable, and in my pride, I tin ride off the confidence from the day before.
I see this same lack of field of study in other areas of my life – eating salubrious, working out, keeping in touch with friends and family, or finishing a book. Maybe you can chronicle. Anything that has gone well in my life has been because I've stuck with it. Nosotros must do the aforementioned with God.
Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. Yous will always harvest what you plant. [8] Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and decease from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit volition harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
[9] So let's not get tired of doing what is practiced. At simply the correct time nosotros will reap a harvest of approving if nosotros don't surrender. [x] Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should practise adept to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians half-dozen:7-x NLT
Each mean solar day we take an opportunity to plant by choosing to follow God and practice practiced, or to cull to satisfy our sinful nature. Each day matters, and each pick matters. And each solar day that we choose God, our confidence will grow.
And when we alive life God's way, he comes through for united states, helps us grow, and guides u.s.a. to practice good for other people. Developing conviction in God is more important to others than nosotros realize. God places family members, friends, coworkers, and even strangers in our paths that nosotros are meant to influence and change for the better.
When we are close to God, nosotros have the confidence to share our lives, give generously, and sacrifice to assist others. When we believe God has our back, and nosotros permit his give-and-take to guide us, there is cipher that tin can cease united states of america from loving to the full. So when y'all get tired, remember – never give up!
Break and reflect
- How can y'all start to apply these steps to develop conviction in God daily?
- Whose lives effectually you would be positively impacted if you lot intently pursued developing confidence in God? How?
- Decide to do whatever it takes to develop conviction in God.
Nick Straw is a Santa Clara University alum, and is passionate about ministry and community service work in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Source: https://deepspirituality.com/confidence-in-god/
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