“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.
Renee,
Thank you for reaching out with God’s Word. It truly is where we get real confidence from. At 47, I feel that I’ve wasted so much of my life in self-doubt. There is no re-do in life, so you just pick up where you are and move forward.
I absolutely relate to your comments like “I’m not good enough,” “What if I fail and look foolish,” “This is too hard for me.” I’ve let so many things in life pass me by–important things like a promotion and relationships, to even the most insignificant things like opting out of pictures. I seriously seek to grow in the grace of God, to become the woman He made me to be.
I am really looking forward to reading the rest ” A Confident Heart. ”
God Bless You. =)
I can truly identify with Day 5 of the 7-Day Doubt Diet. The prayer you wrote for us to pray seeks answers to many of the questions I have in my life. Is it suitable just to pray the prayer once and leave it in God’s hands, or should we pray this prayer daily?
Thanks for sharing your story. It has been encouraging to know that I’m not the only one feeling like this.
God Bless You!
So struggling. Been thrown away like garbage, left behind holding a bag I can’t manage with no clue how I’m going to make it and survive. The Proverbs 31 devotional the other day described so much. I know I have no reason to doubt yet I have no strength to carry on………….
I’ve been getting Proverbs 31 for two years. Yesterday I read yours and it just spoke to me. I went on your website and knew I was lacking a confident heart. Sooo many people have confidence in me and see my strengthen. I know it’s there but it seems trapped. I push myself. But I feel and know I truly lack confidence. I feel like I’m letting God down because I want to fulfill His purpose for me but I’m not.
I read the first chapter twice and prayed the prayer at the end out loud. Each time I pray it, I cry. I’m tried of feeling unfulfilled. I’m tired of feeling empty. So, I look forward to this journey.
Renee — thank you so much! I never win anything. This truly made my day! I can’t wait to read your book and share with a friend at Starbucks.
I am really excited to read the Confident heart! I struggle on a daily basis with feelings of doubt and inadequacy. I do not feel that it is an accident that I came across your website, I truly feel that there is a definite reason God would have me to read this book!! I can” wait to get a copy.
I think we all can relate to this in one way or another. I look forward to reading your book so I can share your message with other women! Thanks for having the courage to step out and share your story with the world, Renee!!
Love the idea of consciously “capturing” each self-doubt and replacing it immediately with scripture. This has encouraged me to do the same. Thank you for the inspiration!
Lacking confidence? I identify with doubting my husband’s faithfulness…his love even. Unfortunately, those feelings still creep in after 17 years of marriage. I doubt God’s love for me sometimes, too. Yes, I feel that He tolerates me. I’ve done a few acceptable things, but I keep messing up. I often wonder why He doesn’t destroy me now because I’m such a Christian failure. I believe that some of my insecurities stem from a past experience – I was a Jehovah’s Witness for seven years (and associated with them for a few more years). I know that I’m on the “performance tredmill,” and it’s really hard to get off of it and stay off. I believe your book will be helpful to people like me…as well as all the others who have commented already. Thank you! May Jehovah bless you and allow you to continue ministering to a hurting and suffering people!
Good Morning! You must have been in my bathroom this am as I saw my huge shadow (My husband of 15 years told me that he did not want to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversary…) My shadow is a result of my not releasing the facade of control in our marriage. Thank you so much for reminding me to turn back to the light, My God…not to Self!!! I think your book will definitely be God-sent to us shadow people reminding us of the truth…that we are children of the Light(our God)…may you be blessed as well as you walk in the Light. I look forward to reading your book as well as sharing it with my pre-teen daughter …have a bright day!
I never win at anything. I have lost at love, family, friendships, career, and yet through all this I somehow teach my children to win and lose with grace. How is it possible to teach my blessings something that I apparently doubt? Society makes me believe that as a single mom I am not worthy and it would seem that I have bought into this mentality. I know I have Christ in my life, esp when I slow down and look, but I don’t often do that. I believe my children are His gift to me and I appreciate that God is in the whisper of the wind, not necessarily in the rumble of the thunder. But my life seems to be a lot of thunder and rain lately, so it is a little hard to find God. At least I am still looking to Him. I signed up for the 7-Day Doubt Diet and am looking forward to changing my thought process from me oriented to believing in the One who made me beautiful.
Regarding self doubt and this is to hard for me. I have entertained that thought for the last several years. There was trouble with my marriage and there was never a day that went by that I thought I would not be able to make it. This verse among many more was my constant companion. I had it written on a piece of paper I carried in my pocket. God was extremly gracious and healed my home. Then satan decided to try and uproot me again. My 18 year old told me she was pregnant and the thoughts came like a flood. God why is this happening? Dont you love me? I cant handle anymore God, please make it stop!
Through all of this I could hear a voice saying, “I love you. Lean on me and listen to what I tell you. You are my child and I will give you everything you need.” I have held onto that because I know Satan will try to take all peace and self confidence out of you. We must remember, NO ONE IS GREATER THAN OUR GOD!
A lot of things I have set out to do, confident and gifted, have been rejected by man.
I know God is in control, and need to let those bad times go.
Others I know have had similar experiences.
I would love to read the book and pass it on.
I’m looking forward to reading and sharing the book. It’s been a struggle to get a resume together and job searching since it’s been over 10 yrs since I’ve worked on one. I can see my lack of confidence has affected my decisions and I sometimes battle the “what ifs” that are so dangerous bc they can lead to depressing thoughts. Doubts about mothering 2 young ones with multiple food allergies has also taken its toll. Somehow finding meaningful work that will accomodate their needs and schedules has become so daunting. I am reminded by your post that the battle is in the mind and what better weapon than the sword of the Spirit. Thanks for the reminder.
For so long I have battled depression. I found the Lord just about 2 years ago now, He has been amazing in turning my life around, but still I find myself falling into those awful thought processes that would bring me so far down into the pits…Thank God He is there to whisper my name before I hit the bottom again. I so need to read this book, every time I pick it up I just cry…is this because I am afraid or is it because I am hopeful…I really would like to share it with my daughter who sadly takes after her mom, hoping and praying that she can reach out for the Lord’s Saving Grace and Mercy long before the 43 years it took me. I am rambling, I did order another copy and can’t wait to be able to share it with her…