“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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I am entering a new chapter in life, and God is calling me to do awesome things for Him. My insecurities have always held me back, and I have always felt unqualified to do what I know I am called to do. I am looking forward to reading this book. It’s time for a change!
Love it, Renee! May many people’s lives be changed!
I just want to say that ironically, I’m actually encouraged reading others’ comments about how much they doubt themselves, turn positive comments into negative, etc….because I’ve always felt like I was alone in my struggles. I’ve made it one big negative in my life, in fact—the idea that no one is as “messed up” as I am in my thinking, and beaten myself up for it over and over. I would love to read your book—based on what I’ve read/seen so far, I really think you have a message that will truly touch many hearts! Thank you for being so honest and transparent about an issue most of us are too afraid to talk about!
I just got a email about your book and it sounds like God is trying to tell me something. I am going through some hard times in my life right now. Confidence that is what I need, I know I know a lot of things but sometimes I just feel like I cannot do it. It is hard to explain. I have left my job and started another one and it is really scarey. I know I need the help of my God to do this. I wish I had the money to buy your book right now but I will have to save up to do it. I dont get paid much. God is having me work with children and I know I have to show them I am confident in myself so they can grow up to be strong confident adults. I pray all the time for God to show me the way. And this looks like a way. Thank you so much for helping us. God Bless.
The thing that stands out to me most is how easily I throw out my confidence. I do it over and over all day long and find myself defeated and disengaging from the beautiful moments of life each day gives. It is really sad. I was surprised to see Hebrews 10:35-36, I don’t think I ever noticed it before and yet there it is, plain and simple. Thank you Renee for listening to God’s call on your life and following it through. Thank you for sharing your heart with the millions who will surely read your book and be blessed by the message. I pray God’s richest blessing for you!
What really resonates with me is telling myself things that shatter my confidence. I have two beautiful daughters but I hear them say things about themselves that they have heard me say. It is so heartbreaking to walk with little confidence but even worse to hear it repeated in my daughters. I can’t wait to get your book and allow God to use it to change my confidence through Him because then I can model that God confidence for my daughters (ages 16 and 11). It’s time to break the cycle of woman walking defeated rather than walking confident in who God has created us to be!!
Thank you Renee for being such and encouragement! Blessings 🙂
THANK YOU for writing a book that I believe everyone could use sometime in their life> Specifically, I have been praying for my daughter who turns 19 this month who has had her heart crushed by a relationship, and I have noticed her confidence has been deminished. I plan on buying your book so that I can read it first in hopes to find ways to help her along, and to be an encouragement to her. Blessings to you for taking God’s lead in writing this helpful book 🙂
I have had many years of things I have had doubts about especially my self-worth and my ability to do things. God has shown me where some of these feelings have been wrong but Satan knows that is one of my weak spots and he loves to bring up things that raise doubts. In 2007 I got very sick and was in the hospital for a while. Since then Satan has made sure to give me insecure feelings in things I would like to independent again but it is so much easier to depend on other people to do some things for me. I have been put in a situation now where I must make some adjustments or not do some things. I know God will give me the strength to do whatever He wills for my life.
Renee, thank you for your willingness to share from your heart and be led by God to encourage others.
Renee,
How timely your book is for this season of my life. Do you know, just writing on a blog can bring feelings of self-doubt for me? My desire is to walk in God-confidence, believing and resting in who God called me to be in Him! Your devotion so ministers to my spirit today. I have been fighting the lies these past couple of days of words said to a friend because of insecurity and self-doubt. How my heart hurts. Stop believing the lies and stand upon Father God’s Word and promises!! Not only does believing lies open doors for the enemy in our lives, but affects all those around us. My family has been walking in a spiritual battle for quite some time, however, “No, in all these things [I am] (we are) more than a [conqueror] through him who loved [me] (us).” (Romans 8:37, NIV)
Praying the heart of my spiritual eyes are completely open, to know all my Father has for my life to bring Him glory in my actions and words.
Thank You, Renee for sharing your heart and life…ministering God’s truths to us!! His Word brings healing and wholeness. Oh how our Father LOVES us!!
Abundant Blessings!!
I identified most with the statement, “I’ll never change”. I’ll be going along good and then slip and it’s not a pretty thing. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book. I will share with my friend Jennifer.
I like the idea of when the negative thinking begins to turn my thoughts around with God’s promise…this is something I would love to turn around and conquer. I printed your Scriptures today to use as a tool.
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Thank you so much for writing this book, I can’t wait to read it! I related to the many ways that self-doubt disguises itself.
Renee, it is great to see all the comments in regards to your book…having read it myself I know God will use it in BIG ways!! Your devotion today hit me in a big way as well! Two weeks into life with a new baby and dealing with the lack of sleep, crazy hormones and change, you reminded me that I too have been throwing away my confidence. Rather than beating myself up, words from your book come back and God reminds me that I am (and always will be) a work in progress! I’m praying for you now Renee that satan will stay away during this exciting time and God will continue to fill you with His confidence and work through you for His glory!! Love you much, Jill
Thank you so much for sharing God’s leading to write this book. I’ve struggled with this and was thinking I was doing pretty well. But you ask the right questions; questions that make me realize that I’ve won some battles but there is still a war to wage. Thanks so much for sharing. Carrie
Sounds like just what I need!
Renee, I have felt God leading me to share with others about my own life-long struggle (I’m 55) with self-doubt. Love that term – so much better than low self-esteem, no self confidence, etc. It really nails it for me! Thinking that God would even want me to facilitate a study, perhaps. You have no idea how threatened all of this makes me feel to just consider it. Your words are just the words God is using to affirm these things in my heart and to follow through and see where God leads.
I can feel like the Queen of Self Doubt at times and I hate the crippling effect that it has had in my life and consequently in others. My struggles started as a little girl and have been with me even through a continuing wonderful marriage (36+years), my husband’s college and seminary days, and his ongoing ministry as a pastor. His teaching on GRACE while going through the book of Romans about 5 years ago gave a whole new perspective to my walk with Christ and how He views me. From Day One of our marriage he has been my biggest encourager in leaving this chain of bondage behind. Despite that my struggle with self doubt continues but thankfully with much more space between my ’rounds of doubt.’ I have painfully observed that this is a struggle to be fought on a daily basis – not just when I’m having a crisis.
I’m SO thankful my women’s ministry director forwarded me a P31 devotional a few weeks ago. My heart has resonated with every single day. I love that it starts my day with such encouragement.
Thank you for blessing my life and many, many, many others!
I feel like my life is one big self-doubt. I missed alot of opportunities growing up and in school because I never felt good enough. I have brought it into my marriage and am surprised my husband has stuck it out. I bring it into friendships. I always feel overlooked…like my comments and conversations are not important…I feel talked over…not a priority in anyone’s life…need I go on. I want to shake this someday! Someday soon! Thank you for addressing this issue.
I related to what you said about not being good enough; as a child, teenager, wife, and mother. I have lived my whole life always wishing I was nicer, prettier, skinnier, more athletic. I am hoping that reading your book will help me open my heart to God and stop destroying my self-doubt.
Well, what a blessing to open up Proverbs 31 this morning! I was just having my morning “I don’t know if I can do this” session (any subject, even the “I know I’ll mess something up” one) when I opened it up. I am so excited to know I am not alone and that God knows when I need the earthly encouragement also. Not that I’m excited others are not confident just that I’m not the only one who has struggled with insecurities. I look forward to the devotions and the book to come. Thanks for being transparent and sharing!
I could really relate to what you said about allowing what others think or say about us to kill our confidence. Whenever a relationship hits a rocky point, it’s easy to speak negative words to myself that somehow, the failure must be my fault. It’s often untrue, but it’s easy to get caught in those attitudes. What a great reminder this book is that our confidence comes from who we are in Christ, regardless of what others think of us or what mistakes we make.