The Truth About God Confidence vs Self Confidence

We live in a world where self-confidence is the phrase of the 21st century.  There’s so much talk about self-confidence and how important it is. While yes, confidence is important.  But as a Christian, do we really think we should be relying on ourselves instead of God? Absolutely not! There’s a hierarchy God wants us to follow.  So let’s take a look at God-confidence vs self-confidence and let me show you that God-confidence is truly the only way to go.

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The Reason For My Struggle

Before I dig into the topic of God-confidence vs self-confidence, let me give you a little background on me and why I chose this topic. 

Almost 9 years ago I contracted a flesh-eating bacteria which put me in a coma for 3 weeks and the hospital for 3 months.  During that time, sepsis required the amputation of both of my hands and both feet.

Today, I get around pretty well.  I have prosthetic legs, but I have never found prosthetic hands to be particularly helpful.  My main tools, especially for writing my blog and communicating, are my cell phone with a wrist strap and a stylus for typing.  If you want more info on my life as a quad amputee, check out my blog info in my bio.  

Nevertheless, as a quadruple amputee, I have struggled with a lot of self-confidence issues.  I find myself making comparisons of myself to others. I don’t have hands, so I get frustrated when I want to do one of my favorite hobbies, cooking.  I have always enjoyed making meals and baking for my family. I have tried all sorts of methods and I can do a little bit of this and that. But my family really cannot count on me to feed them on a regular basis.

This makes me feel inferior.  I used to love cooking for people who need a break or who are going through struggles.  So naturally, the devil brings out some jealousy when others can do that task instead of me.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m pretty good at walking, but that jealousy rears its ugly head again when I see someone 30 years older than me power walking.  Jesus forgives me, I know this.

My point in sharing these insecurities is that when we feel inferior our first thought is to lean on ourselves to overcome those struggles.  Should we pick up a self-help book and figure it out by some expert puffing us up and telling us how great we are? No way! That’s never the best way, is it?  By putting God first in our lives, then He will be the first one we go to when we need help.

The Definitions of God-confidence and Self-confidence

Dictionary.com gives us two definitions of self-confidence. The first definition is a realistic confidence in one’s own judgment, ability, and power.  And the second definition is excessive or inflated confidence in one’s own judgment or ability.  First realistic and then excessive? In any event, it’s all about me!

As a Christian, these definitions go completely against the grain of what God wants for us. God-confidence means depending completely upon God and His strength to handle the things in your life.  It’s not about your strength or the confidence that you put into earthly things. Having a worldly focus means putting your confidence into things like money, education, people, and appearance.  Having a Godly focus means to seek those things from above. When you have to choose, choose God and His path of righteousness.

How To Get God-confidence

A Personal Relationship With Jesus

The first step in God-confidence is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  If you died tomorrow, do you know for sure that you’re going to Heaven? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?  If your answer to these questions is no, then reach out to Haley here at My One Comfort, or myself (see bio below), and we will help you.  Putting your faith in God for all things means trusting Him in all things. Here are 10 Ways to Learn How to Trust God Completely. 

Prayer

Once you have a personal relationship with the Lord, God-confidence starts with prayer.

Matthew 26:41 tells us “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.  Praying for strength from the temptations of self is a great first step when you’re struggling with God-confidence vs self-confidence.

Remember God’s Promises

Your next step is to remember God’s promises.

2 Peter 1:4: says “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust”.  This corruption in the world through lust talks about human nature without God. We need God in our lives. So with God, we can participate in His promises. The Bible is our rulebook for living. This is where we learn all about God, the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He provides all of our needs and gives us the strength we need.  This is where we get our confidence. The Bible is overloaded with verses about confidence in God.

Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.

Philippians 4:19: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”.

Our Worth Comes From God

It’s also important to remember that our worth doesn’t come from our actions, what we look like, or how much money we have.  Instead, our worth lies in God. He created us for His honor and glory and for His pleasure. He has known us from the very beginning and values us so very much that He created a plan for sinful mankind, even before the foundation of the world.  

Psalm 139:13-14: “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.  I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well”.

Genesis 1:27: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, created him; male and female created he them”.

If we are made in the image of God, why do we struggle with our worth?  Well, because of sin, of course! But our true basis of worth can only be found through faith in Jesus and by accepting His free gift of salvation.  As a result, we are precious to God. We were so important to Him, that He sent His only begotten son, 

Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

Our worth from our Lord is why in a contest of God-confidence vs self-confidence, God wins every time.  Our worth upon acceptance of Jesus as our Savior will never change, unlike the self-worth of the world, which can change by the minute.

What does the Bible say about loving yourself?

It’s important to remember just whose child we are and where we need to put our focus.  Please don’t misunderstand. There are many Bible verses about confidence in God. Jesus tells us to love others as ourselves.  Yes, we are to have self-love, but in a Godly way. We are not to get puffed up with worldly pride. But instead, show gratitude for who we are as a child of the King.

Ephesians 5:29: “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherish it, even as the Lord the church”.

1 Cor 6:19-20: “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

 

Bible verses about confidence in God

Whenever you have doubts, turn to the Word of God.  There you can find the answer to any of your questions.  Here are some Bible verses that remind us that we can have confidence in God.

Jeremiah 17:7:  “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is”.

Proverbs 3:26:  “For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken”.

Psalm 20:7:  “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God”.

1 John 3:20-21: “For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God”.

Hebrews 10:35:  “Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward”.

Hebrews 4:16: “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

Which will you choose in the battle of God-confidence vs self-confidence?

I am God’s masterpiece, even after going through drastic surgery and mutilation to my body, God knows and loves me just the way I am.  Sometimes I struggle with comparisons, which is a sin, I know. However, in those times of doubt, my Heavenly Father is waiting for me to turn to Him for strength.  

We all are battling insecurities. But if we walk in God-confidence vs self-confidence, you will have much more success.  Just remember that God has a purpose for us. So we need to serve Him regardless of how we feel about ourselves. I know, though, that I can get all of the confidence that I need simply by putting my faith and trust in Him.

**All Bible Verses are from the King James Bible Version.