Strong and Confident

I was taught that courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the willingness to face your fear. Confidence doesn’t mean we don’t have self-doubt; it means we push forward, take action, and do what we need to until we no longer doubt.

Have you ever believed confidence is something we either have or don’t have? Just like some of us have curly hair, brown eyes, or a third nipple, some people seem to be born with confidence. But here’s the truth — confidence is not something we’re born with; it’s something we build.

• Confidence is a skill that must be built up over time, and the only way to do that is by taking action.

You learn to ride a bike first on a tricycle, then with training wheels. Then we become so skilled at the training wheels that one falls off and we don’t even notice. Then we become brave, take off the training wheels, and go for it, wobbling down the road (and probably wiping out a few times along the way). Sometimes the process takes years, tears, and lots of skinned knees. But what results is confidence. You suck it up, take action, practice, manage your fear, and go for it, even if you wobble and wreck a few times.

It’s time to shed self-doubt and step confidently into your calling.

What does God want done that He is asking you to help Him with?

Is His heart broken because of the injustice of trafficking, and He put the dream in your heart to raise money to fight it? Does He want the second grade children in your town to have a loving teacher to develop them, and He nudged you to apply for the job? Does He want a local business to thrive so the owners can continue doing good in the community, and He wants you to pitch yourself as the new marketing person?

God called us all to do good works — not to earn our salvation, not to earn His love, not to prove we are worthy but because He loves us, saves us, and gives us new hearts to love others.

God delights in partnering with you for His purposes, and it’s time you believed that. You’re not an evil villain plotting to take over the world; you’re a woman of God partnering with Him to make the world right here and right now a better place.

When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom in the Gospels, He was also talking about the here and now, not just in Heaven. What does God want to do with you in His Kingdom here and now?

Whether you’re delivering comfort food to a grieving family, rocking a baby in the nursery, folding laundry and praying for a friend, growing a garden that feeds your family, or growing a non-profit that feeds the world, it all matters to God. And it is work that builds the Kingdom right here.

He wants me and you and all of us to get over our self-doubt and start living the lives He created us to live. And that starts with the small decisions we make every day.

When you want to say to yourself, “I can’t do this,” and self-doubt tries to sideline you, remember.

Remember who you are.
Remember where your strength comes from. Remember that you are a wonder, woman. Remember, you are called to stand strong. So start standing.

I Want You to Remember

When we bring God into any battle, we win.

When you bring God into the little things and let His Spirit help you push past self-doubt, you honor the calling He has on your life.

As women of God, we can stand strong for one reason: God. Our wisdom, help, purpose, and gifts are all because of God.

Confidence is a skill that must be built up over time, and the only way we do that is by taking action.

Getting over self-doubt and living the lives God created us to live starts with the small decisions we make every day.

Discussion Questions

1. What specific self-doubts arise when you start to step into what God has called you to do?
2. Do your current self-doubts overshadow what you know to be true?
3. Do you believe confidence is a trait you either have or don’t have, or do you believe it is a skill that can be built over time?

Action Steps

Prayer: Confidence is a skill that has to be built up over time, and the only way we do it is by taking action. The first step is to decide to think differently about who God is and who you are. Worship is a great way to renew your mind. Throw on your favorite worship album, and spend time praising God for who He is. Think about His attributes (for example, faithful, loving, strong, kind). Allow who God is to overshadow any self-doubt.

Journal: If you had a magic wand and life could look exactly like you want it to in twelve months, what would it look like? Write it down. Then ask, “God, what do you want me to do?”

Practice: We make split-second decisions to step away from fear and self-doubt and step into our goals, our dreams, and our future — or not. Develop your own “five-second mantra” to override your bossy brain.

Excerpted with permission from Standing Strong by Alli Worthington, copyright Alli Worthington.

* * *

Your Turn

It’s time to shed self-doubt and step confidently into the calling God has over your life and future! What’s holding you back? What has the Lord been whispering to your heart? What moves you passionately? Come share with us. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily