I think I might be confident… Maybe.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  Hebrews 10:35

CONFIDENCE.  Confidence is a state of being certain.  Certain of ones own opinions, abilities, strength, plan, thinking.  Confidence is an internal trust of ones own place and process or a certainty of trust in another’s opinions, abilities, strength, plan and thinking that shapes how we act and perceive life and others.

Is there anyone out there who could use a boost of confidence?  How about the student who thinks all her friends are prettier, so every day her confidence is shaken?  How about the dad whose kids struggle in school and he feels inadequate to help?  Or maybe the guy whose friends all seem to be able to run faster, jump higher and last place is one of the regular stops he makes in his life journey.  The aging businessman in the ultra competitive market, sensing he is competing in a younger mans game.  The longtime single person, wondering if marriage and all it brings will pass them by.  The married person beat down by words, criticism and even with force.  The kid whose parent has lost the ability to encourage and now criticism is the only language spoken at the dinner table or in the car.  There are only about a million more scenarios I could paint.  College students competing for scholarships, seasoned people going back to school after the kids have moved out.  Marriages shaking, loneliness, looks, status and personal power all impact our confidence.

Enter faith and you would think our confidence would grow, but does it?  Not always.  The rules, the preaching that describes a friendship with God that seems unattainable.  There is the frustrating inability to stop the simplest of habits and start the simplest of habits.  Then there is finding God’s will, hearing from him about jobs, relationships, decisions, kids and so much more.  Mix faith with our already frail structures and far too often our eyes take over and our confidence shrinks.   

Then on the flip side of all these aforementioned confidence stealers is the person who seems to have so much confidence that they never stop, never quit and never slow.  They always know, always have a plan, always act as though they are right and quite often are.  Interestingly it is this person whose certainty can negatively impact the confidence of others and makes it shrink. 

I have a ton of questions. What is the difference between confidence and cockiness?  How can one be very confident as a person and not be a prideful person?  How can one bolster their confidence?  What are the top few confidence killing mistakes people make?   What impact can healthy confidence have on the confidence of others?  How does healthy faith and healthy confidence interact?

Do you have any of these questions?  If so, tune in for the next few posts.  If you tune in, feel free to chime in as well.  That’s enough for today, Off… we go now.

~ by OFF we go now on May 7, 2013.