“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)
Have you ever thrown away your confidence? One night I was cleaning our kitchen and found this little rubber thingy on our counter top. It wasn’t until after I threw it away that I realized it was the power button for our TV remote control. As I dug through the trash to find it, I sensed God showing me that’s how easily I throw away my confidence—without recognizing it.
It’s usually very subtle. Sometimes I’ll be thinking about something I want to do or sense God calling me to, and a feeling of uncertainty comes over me and whispers to my heart, You can’t do that. You’re not good enough. Out of the blue, I’ll just get that awful, insecure feeling.
Too many times in the past I’ve gone along with it, tossing my confidence into the trash without even thinking.
So, maybe I should ask again. Have you ever thrown away your confidence?
We throw away our confidence each time we say negative things to ourselves. We trash our security when we allow accusation and condemnation from others to define us. And it breaks God heart.
Can I share an important message and invitation with you? It’ll only take 3 minutes, but it’s the most important part of today’s post. And it’s part of today’s give-away, too. Please click the arrow to watch.
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Renee Swope – A Confident Heart Book Trailer from SoundPost Productions on Vimeo.
(If you’re reading this post via email, please click here to view my book trailer)
Can you tell I’m a little passionate about sharing this message with you. It’s because I want you to experience the freedom and confidence Jesus gave this girl – freedom I’d never known – freedom that came as I learned to live in the power and security of God’s promises!
I know what it’s like to feel stuck in a cycle of defeat. I know how much “hopeless” hurts.
As I wrote A Confident Heart, I looked back and saw a pattern in my thinking that led to the pattern of my doubting. And those patterns led me to trash my security and become paralyzed with self-doubt.
But over time, I learned that I could ask God to show me when I’m tempted to throw away my confidence and then help me throw away my insecurities instead.
• When self-doubt whispers, “I can’t do that. I’m going to fail and look foolish.” I’ve learned to throw away that lie away and hold onto this truth (sometimes I even say it out loud): “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6, NIV 1984)
• When self-doubt whispers, “I’ll never change.” I throw away that lie away and claim this truth: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in [me] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6, NASB)
• When self-doubt whispers, “This is too hard for me. I don’t have what it takes to…” I toss that thought and hold onto this truth: “No, in all these things [I am] more than a [conqueror] through him who loved [me].” (Romans 8:37, NIV)
Oh friends, how I long for you to join me in living with A Confident Heart. I want your life to be transformed through the Truths God engraved on my soul to share with you in each chapter.
That is why we’re praying over each book and each person who reads it, asking Jesus to use His words on each page to change your life as you read them. To make hope rise again in your heart. To bring encouragement where discouragement has settled. And set you free from any and all cycles of doubt and defeat so you can live with A Confident Heart!
Will you pray with me? Lord, I want to become a woman with a confident heart in Christ. Will you help me recognize when I throw away my confidence, and remind me to throw away my insecurities instead? I want to persevere in Your truth so that when I have done Your will, I will receive what You have promised. When doubt or insecurity tells me I can’t do something, I will remember that all things are possible to her who believes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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A Confident Heart Give-Away
Enter to win 3 copies of A Confident Heart as well as a gift card and my message, “Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence” on CD- by clicking on “Share Your Thoughts” below. I’d love to know one thing in the book trailer or in my P31 devotion that you could identify with, also is there someone or somewhere you’ll share today’s post? We’d love for others to hear about A Confident Heart through you! And to make it easy, there are “Tell A Friend” buttons just below this post.
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Last week’s winners of the “Contagious Confidence” winners
which include a copy of “A Confident Heart” along with “Confident Heart” sticky notes that have quotes and promise from my book and Starbucks gift cards are: Kelli Wommack, Debra and Stephanie Melton. We’ve got your email from your comments so we’ll be in touch to get your address.
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Wow – I noticed this posting on Facebook and thought it sounded interesting but after reading the first chapter that was emailed to me I KNOW that this is a God sent journey.
Coming from a very dysfunctional home I grew up doubting all of my words, abilities and self worth. Through the years God has been slowly growing me but that shadow of doubt never seems to get smaller and I am tired of looking at it and feeling defeated…because then I act defeated as well. How can I serve God when I am already defeated and surrendering to that feeling. I want the power of the living God in my life. I want to believe God not just believe in Him. So thank you Beth for posting this on Facebook. I am looking forward to the journey…May we see God’s rich blessings….
I really identified with the “AM” (against me) vs. “FM” (for me) thoughts. I’ve been a Christian now for 10 years but still suffer from the “against me” thoughts because of my life as a young girl in a false religion with a mother who abused me through her anger and a father who rejected me. I have memorized many Scriptures, but need to repeat out loud the ones that come against the lies satan has planted in my mind. Thank you, Renee, for being obedient to follow God’s calling and minister to those of us who suffer from some of the same insecurities. I pray for all of us to be rooted in His love, secure with the peace of mind that only He can give.
I’d love to win a copy of the book to give away on my blog. I’m reading it and it’s heart changing by God’s Spirit. I’ve been sharing a lot on Facebook about it. Appreciate the message of God’s truth!
My husband took the baby and I to a mall out of town when we were married less than a year. He told me he would keep the baby with him and I could go shopping wherever I wanted. I was terrified that he would take the baby and leave me at the mall! He thought I was being silly and just started walking away. I just walked around crying for an hour and then found them. It was horrible. We’ll be married for 23 September 6th and sometimes that fear still grips me. I completely understand not getting on the carousel!
I needed to hear your experience with your shadow revealing how high your thoughts of insecurities were. This is so true. My insecure thoughts get so high that I allow them to control me. I need to continuously make these insecure thoughts bow down to my MIGHTY SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS!!!(IICor. 10:5)
Also, I have been sharing your “A Confident Heart” posts with friends on facebook!
Page 42 last paragraph where you state that God was not made in our father’s image is wonderful to hear and really set in my heart. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. Looking at God as if he is going to leave or judge at any moment like my own Dad did. I think I’ve underlined the whole book to this point…….
Oh, Renee, I would love to read your book for encouragement to be confident in who I am in Christ! It seems that you speak God’s Truth in a way that greatly speaks to my heart. I so often let those insecure thoughts prevent me from living fully in God’s wonderful grace. Thank you for your honesty in struggling with that yourself. I really appreciated the bible verses you gave to fight those insecure thoughts. Thank you for sharing to help others like me! :0)
Your trailer is describing ME! Since childhood I, too, have been plagued with self-doubt that has kept me from having the confidence to be all God wants me to be. I want that confident heart that you have found! I am excited to read your book and share it with not only my friends and family, but as an educator working with teenagers, I’m excited to share what I learn with my students too.
My life is often ruled by doubt and fear rather than by truth. My confidence goes in the trash. I think it depends on who and what I allow to define me. I would love to read A Confident Heart and confidently hold God’s truths in my heart not just in my head.
Eventhough, I’ve been placed in a womens ministry leadership position and appear to be confident, inside I’m a wreak! In my head I hear the wisphers…”You don’t have the skills” or “YOU… you can’t do that, do you know how stuipd you’ll sound!”
But I’m confident with God’s Word and your book, I will finally become the woman God had planned along!
In His Grace~Tammy
I have had problems with confidence all my life. And, am starting to realize that the more I trust in God then the more good I find in myself. I am looking forward to reading “A Confident Heart”. I can’t afford it yet, but I have the “7 Day Doubt Diet” and I keep coming to this site to hear more. Thanks so much for your ministry!
Self doubt? That is me all the way! I have never had confidence in myself. Most of the time I look in the mirror and call myself Stupid! I’m never pretty enough, good enough, and definitely not smart enough. I’d love to get off this Merry-go-round. What would it be like to have confidence in myself? I haven’t a clue! I actually think it is too late for me.
I need this book. My life has been paralyzed by self doubt.
I have been terrorized throughout me life by doubts and being overly self concious. It has been even crippling in trying to do what I know God has called me too. Thanks for writing this book. It is a message so many women need to hear.
I have been terrorized by the doubts and being overly self concious. At times it has been crippling to the work that I know God has called me too. Would love to read the book in its entirety. Thanks for the message of this book so many women need to hear it.
I look forward to getting a chance to read this book. Too many talk about a Christian’s self confidence as if it were a bad thing, and it’s not. It’s part of our boundaries as a person/part of our person-hood in which God created us to have. To Him be the glory.
Your very first words spoke to me so directly, “Do you ever feel like you are not smart enough? Good enough? Valuable enough?” Unfortunately, this was drilled into my head as a child. I am the youngest of 11 children, but by the time I started school, I was the only one at home. Two of my siblings used to taunt me and practically bully me saying those words to me. I was told I was fat and ugly, that I was stupid and that nobody would ever love me. I am sure that you know that after so much, a person just begins to believe what they are told… Needless-to-say, before I got to Jr. High, my self-esteem had been shattered and my self- confidence was not far behind.
I will be sharing this post on my facebook page – all of the women that participate in the two Bible studies that I go to are also on facebook – maybe one group will want to do this book as a study at one point… In the meantime, thank you for following God’s calling on your life. I look forward to this study beginning this fall…
Not sure if I already signed up for this or not. I have tried to win your book on several different websites, so I apologize if this is a duplicate entry. I sure could use some confidence!
I ordered 2 of your book and was compelled to give them both away. Will be needing another for myself. Can’t wait!