Re:Verse reading–Acts 4:5-31 (day one)
“Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”–v 13
As a young person, with some regular relapses even now, I suffered from a deep lack of confidence. Who I was just didn’t seem to be enough–that’s how it felt, anyway.
A few years after receiving Christ, I discovered this scripture and the comfort of it. Confidence comes from “being with” Christ. Learning His mind. Resting in His life, approval and protection. If that is where Peter/John found it, I could too!
In Matthew 11, Jesus promises to give us rest. In Acts 3, he promises to give us confidence. Not available anywhere else. Attractive and noticeable, even to those who don’t believe.
“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are as bold as a lion”–Proverbs 28:1.
Love the verse, “the wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are as bold as a lion”~ Proverbs 28:1. There is some truth to this verse. When we act within God’s framework of commands and approvals, Satan does not want us to be in the qualifed pool of His armed forces!! God qualifies us, Satan disqualifies us! The choice is ours. Which armed forces we want to join to have eternity?
This blog provides me with a deep reflection on the topic of building confidence. I will take this opportunity to share on what I have come to know about this leadership and performance management competency.
Confidence, called self-confidence, is the trust or faith that one has in himself or herself and his or her abilities. In contrast, self-esteem is the opinion one has of himself or herself. Self-confidence and positive self-esteem affect how we think and act, how we feel about others, and how successful we are in life. People with self-confidence know they cannot do everything but they have expectations that are more realistic. And when some of their expectations are not met, they continue to be positive and to accept themselves.
Just like Pastor Don, I am sure we all have the lack of confidence moments. But for me, I can overcome it once I thoroughly know and understand the Subject matter by heart and know the audiences that I am speaking to or engaging with. Confidence will build on with experience. I am sure lack of confidence is a natural human tendency as we are not sure how others will receive us, from what we have to say or do, or the outcomes that we will deliver. When we have self-confidence, typically we do not fear challenges. We have positive yet realistic views of ourselves and the situations in which we are involved. We should be able to standup for what we believe and have the courage to admit our limitations.
I can say confidently that everyone, including me, has areas in our lives where we may feel quite competent while at the same time we may recognize areas where we do not feel at all confident. Having an accurate sense of self-confidence helps us avoid behaving overconfident or reckless or becoming obnoxious. People with high self-confidence typically have little fear of the unknown and have the humility and the courage to risk embarrassment.
Righteous men follow Jesus, act, behave and have attitudes just like Jesus Christ. They do what God approves and commands. Having a righteous mind should help build self-confidence as the outcomes are surely within God’s will and approvals, not the approvals of the world.
Knowing God’s will helps build high self-confidence and build a roadmap for our lives for eternity. I am sure when we follow and walk closely with Christ, with time and daily practice, we will have the same confidence as Christ.
Do you have a roadmap for your career? Do you have a roadmap for your organization or the unit that you are entrusted to lead? Do you know the mission and goals of your organization by heart? Do you have a roadmap for your eternity life? How far have you traveled toward God’s path for eternity? Have you had some moments when you displayed overconfidence to an unknown audience, what were their reactions? What did you do when you felt you did not have confidence but had to do something? What are the lessons learned for you? I am looking forward to what you can share. Thank you and God bless!