Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence

Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence

Renee Swope

I was wiping down our kitchen countertops one afternoon when I found a little rubber thingy. I didn’t know what it was, so I threw it away. But as soon as I tossed it into the trash can, I remembered it was the power button for our TV remote control.

Digging through layers of dirty paper plates, sticky plastic cups, and other stinky items, I finally found the tiny rubber button. As I retrieved it, I sensed God telling me that’s how easily I throw away my confidence—without even recognizing what I’m doing.

Just hours earlier, I’d cried out to God from a place of agony and doubt, telling Him how impossible it was for me to finish a huge writing project. How stupid it was for me to commit to something I couldn’t do. How much I hated the wide pendulum swings between my dreams and my realities.

As I stood there with the power button in my hand, I realized God was trying to show me what I had been throwing away for years. I was throwing away my confidence every time I said something like: God, I can’t do this. I’m not smart enough. My faith is too weak. My life is a mess. I’ll never change.

And every time I threw away my confidence, I threw away the power that could be mine if I chose to live in the security of God’s promises instead of the insecurity of my doubts.

Do you ever question your abilities, your competency, or your worth? How often do you agree with the whispers of self-doubt and throw away confidence that should be yours as a child of God?

The next time you’re tempted to throw away your confidence, ask God to help you throw away your insecurities instead.

When self-doubt whispers, I can’t do that. I’m going to fail and look foolish trash that lie and hold onto this truth: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6).

When self-doubt whispers, I’ll never change, trash that lie and hold onto this truth: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in [me] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NASB).

When self-doubt whispers, This is too hard for me. I don’t have what it takes, trash that lie and hold onto this truth: “No, in all these things [I am] more than [a conqueror] through him who loved [me]” (Romans 8:37).

Lord, help me recognize when I talk trash to myself and equip me to talk truth to my heart instead. I want to take hold of the power and security that is mine to live in through You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

REMEMBER

Every time you throw away your confidence, you throw away the power that could be yours if you chose to live in the security of God’s promises instead of the insecurity of your doubts.

REFLECT

When does self-doubt most often rear its ugly head in your life?

RESPOND

Every time you think something doubtful today, write that thought down. For example, “I’ll never be good enough to be promoted.” “There is no way I will be loved.” Now, crumple up your paper and throw it in the trash. Use one of the biblical promises from this devotion or another meaningful Scripture to replace the trash with truth.

POWER VERSES

Hebrews 10:39; Mark 9:23