My husband holds the iphone in his hand and reads ancient words still alive today. I hold my hand up for him to pause. “Wait,” I say, “Read that part again.” I think in my non-morning person fogginess I must have heard it wrong.
He repeats, “Faith is confidence….” {Heb. 11:1}
Huh.
I heard right after all.
But those words made me wonder what I hadn’t been hearing at all, for all my life.
Of course faith is the secret of confidence.
Why had I never made the connection before?
I tend to think of faith as external while confidence comes from within.
But isn’t that where faith really comes from too? From our hearts and the One who dwells within them?
I sit back on the couch, rest my head on my pajama-pant-covered legs, sip my coffee.
It feels like a big moment. Because this changes everything.
It means not only can I be confident but also if it’s part of faith then I’m commanded to be confident.
Confidence isn’t prideful. In the Kingdom, it’s actually a synonym for humility. Because the very act of faith means bowing our hearts to another. And only the humble can do so.
I can be confident.
You can be confident.
We can walk through this world with heads and hearts held high as Daughters of the King {who wear pajama pants and don’t get up on time and who are beautifully messy inside and out}.
Yes, just as we are.
Will you join me, sisters?
Let’s say together that we will dare to live with faith, confidence and joy.
Right here. Right now…
And forever.
— Holley Gerth, author of You’re Already Amazing
Leave a Comment
katie says
Thank you. I’d like to be more confident. I used to be and then I got worn down. I’m trying to build myself back up. It’s hard to be patient with myself. It’s taking a long time to feel confident. I know I’m growing in wisdom through this process.
Behind The Smile says
Faith and confidence, I had not connected the two before. At the moment due to chronic illness and an ever decreasing social circle as well as other factors my confidence has crumpled and left me. I was never overly confident but now just walking into a shop by myself is a huge deal and not a situation I ever thought I would find myself in. Thank you for sharing because this actually gives me hope. Blessings.
kris scorza-sobieski says
LOVE that idea holley. commanded to be confident. i’ll join you!
Kate says
I’ve struggled to be confident because I let my parents’ words tear me down. I’ve had the wrong record playing in my head all these years instead of the Lord’s.
Thank you for saying, “We can walk through this world with heads and hearts held high as Daughters of the King {who wear pajama pants and donβt get up on time and who are beautifully messy inside and out}.”
Amy Jane (Untangling Tales) says
My working definition of ‘confidence’ lately has been, “The internal assurance I have access to any resources I may need.”
That explains for me why confidence is so often mistaken for arrogance (You think you have access to what?!), and fits beautifully with this relationship of confidence to faith.
“My God will supply every need…” (Phil 4:19). “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness…” (2Peter 1:3).
Laura says
This is an epiphany for me too, Holley. Where is my confidence? If I put it in the Lord…
This is a hard one for me to internalize. Chewing on it today.
Lucille says
Yes! Thank-you for sharing. Love you!
chris Malkemes says
How wonderful it is to travel through the words of faith…courage.. hope. Thank you
Dayna says
Beautiful message this morning; love it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Libby says
I just have to laugh. I woke up this morning very late …and I need to read this. Thank you Holley!
allison says
beautiful.
Karla Neese says
Boy I sure need this today. The past two weeks have been spent struggling with identity issues I thought I had figured out years ago. God is teaching me that I’m becoming who I am and learning the true meaning of faith and acting on that is critical right now. Thank you.
Valerie Hohenberger says
I, too, woke up dreadfully late today and NEEDED this devo as I go about my day only 3 hours behind schedule! Thanks!
Amanda says
Yes, thank you Holley. I’ve struggled with confidence, letting other people tell me who I am or should be, letting the little things about my appearance drag me down. This week God has been teaching me (again) to trust in His plan for me, and in who He made me to be. Faith is confidence… not in what I can see, not in my job security, not in my role as a mom or wife… not in my smile or makeup… but in the things I can’t see. In God’s goodness, in His might. And that is so freeing.
Julie Garmon says
Amen! Loved how you tied this together!! Photo is adorable.
Blessings~
Lisa says
I’ve never thought of my faith as confidence. But, you know it is true. We are confident in Him and in His words. What a great scripture today!
Donna says
My identity in HIM…as a wife, mother, daughter, sister…those I feel at peace with in my “skin”. But my identity as a woman? another storey.
How? How do we build that confidence in Christ as a woman and put it into action? In the confines of my small, yet significant world, I am confident. I love my husband with abandon, I encourage or discipline my children believing that I am relying on Him who gives strength and I see the fruit of His labor in my life in that area especially, I will pray with people on the phone and via the world wide web, and I walk knowing I am His child.
But put me out into the world and all my confidences in Him seem to become so weak…so frail. In my new found church (less than a year) i become so self conscious of what I say and do. the words that flow freely from my hands to the keyboard get caught up in my out of balance concern of what others will think about what I say. The enemy whispers that my confidence is really pride so I should keep quiet about_____________. Fill in the blank! I have so much i want to share about His love, grace, forgiveness, yet among believers I get tongue-tied and end up keeping quiet. WHY is that?
Maybe I just need to put myself out there more. You know, like more practice will make perfect kind of thing :0). I am not new to Christ or the church, but the hurts of the past church experience has my heart still so wounded and guarded and THAT is surely not the way he would have me be…prayers appreciated! he is my all sufficient one!
Fran says
This blessed me..keep writing if not talking
Nancy Ruegg says
Your comments blessed by heart, Donna. In my humble/confident (!) opinion, I think God may be preparing you for something special. You have a LOT of good truth to communicate through your keyboard. Perhaps one day it will be out loud. In the meantime, you are observing and absorbing. God will some day turn the input into output!
Diane Bailey says
I love it, Faith is confidence. Yes, I pledge to live by faith, joy, and confidence
Shelley@myheartseekshim.blogspot.com says
Thanks, I needed that today not so much for my faith but the confidence to persevere though some things. Compared to what others may be going through they are minor but sometimes it is major for me. Blessings.
Renee says
Confidence is not pride… I like that. And faith IS confidence…..nice perspective on that verse….
Hannah says
I’ve never thought of faith as confidence. It does totally make sense though because as I think about it the times I had confidence I had the most faith. Thank you for sharing this & giving us something to think about.
Jen says
Yes! Pastor Prince shared this message some time ago and it hit me like a truth-bomb, too. I always viewed confidence as a burden that I needed to shed in order to be properly humble. Tough task when you’re naturally stubborn and strong-willed π But the way he described it, as confidence in the total authority and desire of God to do what He says He will do, and recognizing we are totally unable and often unwilling to do what it takes to fix a problem, means that being confident is being completely reliant/humble. As long as the confidence is in God, we are right to walk with our heads held high and eyes bright with expectation. Daughters of the King ought to walk in no other way π
Amanda says
Amen!
Kim says
Love this, Holley! Did you know the root word of BOTH faith and confidence is the Latin “fidere”? Think “semper fidelis” . . always faithful. It literally means “to trust”!
Kristen Strong says
I didn’t know this ~thanks for sharing that, Kim!
Kristen Strong says
Confidence is a synonym for humility. That is powerful. LOVE this, and love you too, Holley!
Carolyn says
Thank You Holley, I have not ever connected Faith and confidence. I have a lot of growing to do in respect to my confidence. I say that I have faith, perhaps I do not demonstrate in my confidence. I recently lost my husband to brain cancer and I feel like I will never have confidence again. Yet, I feel in my heart that God will take care of me and that I will be okay. Sound confused?? Perhaps I can use some understanding about confidence. Sorry everybody if all of this sounds weird.
Carolyn says
Jen, after I wrote my comment, I read yours. You talked about the message your Pastor delivered. Things started to connect. With confidence, I am thinking about my own and leaving God out of the equation. With faith, I put God back in to the equation. I can see that confidence and faith are one and the same. Both are definately inclusive of God. Thanks Holley for sharing and Jen thanks for helping to clarify by sharing about your Pastor Prince and his message.
Beth Williams says
Holley,
I never thought much about faith and confidence being the same thing. I have some confidence in things I do & say, but not a whole lot. When I realize that God is with me and will see me through anything I can have all the confidence/faith in the world.
Wonderful post Holley!@
Lisa says
Thank you, I really needed to hear/read that.
Patricia Edwards says
Thanks for this message. Women tend to not think we are as strong as we are.
Confidence, Strength, Courage – all gifts from our God. We just need to wait upon Him.
Nancy Ruegg says
‘Love the verb you chose, Holley, in the sentence: “DARE to live with faith, confidence, and joy.” Not try. Not learn. No. DARE! With shoulders back and head up, jump right into the day, into the conversation, into the situation, and believe God is guiding. That’s faith. Speak or act. Get in there! Do it! That’s confidence. And smile–laugh even–at any and every appropriate moment. In that one sentence, Holley, you gave us a battle cry for 2013. Thank you!
elise daly Parker says
I will dare to live with faith, confidence and joy! With humility and under His authority…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.