Satan is a bully who tries to make us feel small, inadequate, less than and insecure. But we don’t have to believe him anymore.
Often times He’ll use something to trigger our self-doubts and then he’ll pounce on us with lies. Today can be the day you decide YOU ARE are more than a conqueror through HIM who loves you!
I’ve got a short video message based on my book that will equip and empower you to stop letting doubt and discouragement beat you up and start letting God’s Word build you up instead! Watch this for a practical way to beat the bully of doubs with the power of God’s promises.
{Download FREE Confident Heart “Triggers and Truths” Printable here}
A Summer Diet of a Different Kind!
Lose the weight of self-doubt by joining over 40,000 other women who have gone on my FREE 7-Day Doubt Diet. Filled with daily insights, powerful promises and scripture-based prayers, you will receive a week’s worth of life-changing Confident Heart devotions.Sign up here
“Confidence Boost” Giveaway:
Today I’m giving away a year’s subscription to the P31 Woman magazine and a copy of my book, “A Confident Heart” (to keep or share with a friend) along with my message “Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence” on CD and a Starbucks gift card! To enter, click “share your thoughts” below this post and let’s talk about those things that trigger your doubts and what truth God spoke to your heart today through the video message and/or my P31 devotion.
And the WINNER is…. Erin Maxwell {announced July 26, 2012}
Receive More FM thoughts each day on my Confident Heart Facebook page!
That speaks volumes today. I have recently joined a study and we are reading What Women Fear by Angie Smith (my very first study!!). Your video is exactly who I am. I live in fear and self doubt. There are so many things I want to do in this life and yet I worry that I won’t be good enough so I don’t even try. I would love to let thoes kinds of thoughts go away, and instead see a light of well all you can do is try and with pratcice, patience and persistence you can do it !
I want to know more about what God’s thoughts are toward me because for so long I’ve had AM thoughts instead of the FM thoughts. Thanks for your offer and your brief encouragement. I will be book marking this and hope to hear your message at least once more today. God bless.
Wow, Gods timing is perfect! I have been struggling with a dark cloud of doudt and lack of confidence in my life for a while now and it has robbed me of all joy. I know God is faithful and he loves me but when his voice is silent it is hard not to believe and I question where he is? Thank you for sharing this message today.
My mind is constantly working against me. It’s kind of funny…yesterday, I was praying for help. I felt like a failure because I’ve let those feeling govern and dictate what I do with my life. I’ve had things come up and I’ve chickened out because of those feelings. Today’s Proverbs 31 devotion and your video really hit home. I’ve already printed up “Doubt’s Triggers & God’s Truths.” Today I’m sticking to, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom8:1
Satan is a liar! Lack of confidence is doubting the words of our Creator. But it has taken me years to learn this I still struggle with it. Being in a relationship with God, and not just a religion has surely set me free indeed.PTL
My doubts in myself come from failures. ..even while I was the perfect Proverbs 31 woman in my marriage, my husband abandoned me while I was 6 months pregnant with his son, working full time as a special educator, going to school, doing my masters internship for my counseling degree, and coming home to take care of my 4 yr son and my husband…he was caught up in sin of child/teen porn and I gave an ultimatum. ..this (a godly marriage) or that…he chose that and it really did a number on my self-worth…how can someone choose sin over all that was good? His son is 4 now and he’s not seen his father and his father has not provided support at all..Only by the grace of God do I make it every day with two sons with no earthly fathers support…I still struggle everyday because we are so alone except for God..thank you for your encouraging words and your continued help would be accepted and appreciated so that in being made strong myself, I can help others
Michell, I will be praying for you. God sees where you are and he is not going to let you fail.
YOU CAN MAKE IT, OUR STOR:RY SIMILAR. THE LORD WILL MAKE IT ALRIGHT, HOLD ON.
What an eye opener for me. I never thought about how I compare myself to others and feel like I am not as good as they are. It is so true and real that it hit me like a ton of bricks. I always feel like others teach better than I do in Sunday School and other things I am involved in at church. It makes me feel so inadequate. I need to really get on my knees and pray about this. I am sure God puts me in these positions because He is using me and working through me. I need to trust Him more. There are other times in my life that i do not feel as good as others. I need to stop and realize how much God has blessed me with a wonderful life. He has been there for me through a lot of things in my life and I have trusted Him in these situations. I need to trust Him when it comes to just me. He made me different for a reason. Thanks for the devotion today.
Your message today really hit a nerve with me. A very perfectionist person, both in my personal life and in my Christian walk, I find it incredible that God could ever use me. When He recently began dealing with me about ministry, all I had was a list of why I had to be misunderstanding His voice. Though having spent most of my life as a child or wife of a minister, I find myself divorced, rejected by some christian circles, and only too aware of all my little imperfections. How could He be calling me? I finally said “yes” to Him, after attending a service where He made His calling crystal clear to me, but I do still suffer with the exact thing you mentioned in your message today. Though I am doing what He has revealed to me to do at this point, I am continually having to try to push down feelings of my inadequacies and lack of qualifications. Thank you for sharing this message with us.
I have always been insecure….rather is be my weight, intellegence, looks, etc I have never felt good enough. Since becoming a Christian I am starting to try and study out being secure in Heart with God. It’s still a struggle because I now have chronic medical conditions and sometimes feel how can God use me, how can I love myself and see myself as God does? Thank you for taking the time to address this important issue for everyone. I look toward to reading your book and drawing on God for my security instead of what the world tells me. P31 is an AMAZING ministry and I am thankful to know of it!
Phew, this feels exactly like what I need right now!!! I’m so thrilled to have found these books and e-tools to help me regain my focus in Christ! I feel defeated spiritually so many days, and I know it’s the season I’m in right now. We moved across the country last year, so I’m slowly rebuilding godly friendships (I so miss my close accountability gals!!) Our firstborn went across the country to college, our finances aren’t what we expected with this move and both my husband and I come from families of non-believers. To the point my very own parents (after over a decade of living my life for Christ) challenge me still and are at times very difficult to deal with. At the same time, our second born lives with a vision impairment and we find out in one month if a license to drive will happen…every 16 year old’s dream. Add in daily struggles of being a wife, mom, teacher, etc and most days I’d rather bury my head in the sand, but I know God is for me not against me. That only He can provide the peace and joy daily that I need to cling too. I am thrilled to read these and let go of doubts in this season of struggle!!
This definitely hit home today. Ive been struggling alot in this area and reading through the devotion helped me realize my doubt comes from fear of man and not focusing on God’s truth. Thank you for writing.
Love the point of the AM and FM thoughts.I must align my thoughts with God’s word for me.
Thank you for sharing this today.
I needed it,
Tasha
I woke up this morning and saw your post and video….I started crying because EVERYTHING you said is ME! I am a mom of 5 beautiful children, and great husband, and I am blessed to have a job as an RN and my own small business. I KNOW how blessed I am, but still, everyday, and weighed down with self doubt and AM thoughts….I’m not a good enough mom, role model, wife, friend, daughter, housekeeper, money manager, christain…it goes on and on. These feelings weigh me down and keep me from accomplishing any goals I set for myself. I want to rid myself of these thoughts, but don’t know WHERE to start or HOW to start…I am looking forward to reading your book, and am hoping that I can get on that road to spiritual and emotional recovery….
I deal with a lot of anxiety on a daily basis. I need to keep your words close at hand to help me realize I’m not in this alone! Thank you for all you do!
I grew up in a very disfunctional family. Only thru much counseling as an older adult was I able to gain enough confidence to really realize that Jesus truly loved ME just the way I am and that I couldn’t be any more perfect in his sight than I already was! Those insecurities are some that Satan still uses to attack me and render me useless at times. Praise the Holy God for instilling ablities such as you have in people willing to share them with people like me!!
I struggle with this issue. This year my life has been turned upside down(not bad things – just life things). In last three months went from 3 kids living at home to none. One of them moved across the country with her new husband(military). The youngest moving away to college. Another one just decided it was time to live on his own. Everything changed and I am feeling very vulnerable. I am fighting Satans negative thoughts daily.
I just love it when God answers my prayers FAST! I was telling Him how terrified I am to go to work today – I’ve been at this job over 2 yrs and still feel completely inadequate for the task. Then I came inside and read your email on Encouragement for Today – and that brought me to this page. I have printed the Triggers and Truths! Thank you for the blessing that you are to so many of us who need the reminder that we can do all things through Christ! Thank you and God bless –
This was so nice to wake up and read this morning! As a mom so often I doubt myself esp after a rough day!!
I use the visual from frank perietti (sp?) author of, “this prensent darkness” where there are these demons who have jumped on your back and are whispering your weaknesses and fears constantly in your ears. this spiritual warfare is constant and Satan won’t stop but neither has Jesus. I have days I let Jesus win the battle and other days feel defeated by the enemy. Hoping the book will bring clairity to my battle.
Doubt and fear are my main struggles in my life. They cripple my relationship with the Lord and others. I know that fear is the opposite of faith, yet Satan still has a foothold there and uses it against me. It destroys the faith that I do have. I trust God is bigger in my head, but I want to know it in my heart. Praying this book can assist me in that battle. Thank you for writing this! Blessings to you all at P31 ministries 🙂
Thank you so very much for your P31 devotion. The enemy is so tricky sometimes but Praise God He doesn’t leave us at his mercy! I feel a stirring deep down within my spirit. Praising God for awakening and hopeful for the first time in a long time for myself.
I tear myself down constantly. I can’t see myself how others see me. People will tell me all these positive things about me, but I can’t see it or won’t believe it. I always feel like they’re just saying those things to make me feel better. I’ve never truly felt beautiful or worthy of a man’s attention. I see everyone in my life moving on and happy and I can’t help but feel like I never will be.
Just last night I was dealing with this very issue! I wasn’t good enough, funny enough, cute enough, lovable enough, just not enough period! It turned what should have been a very fun evening into an evening of doubt & insecurity – stealing away a lot of the fun for me while others were having a blast 🙁 I am in your online Bible study so I know better but just could not stop comparing myself. On the drive home while having a mini pity party I began to remind myself of what God thinks of me. But then Satan remind me of all I had missed out on that evening because of my comparing. Thus the cycle began again. Your video reminded me that God IS in control & all I need to do is look to him.
DetermineI started a prayer journal just last week.something has happened to me, I’m a beautiful 29 year old single mom with so many things to be grateful for..but what happens to my self confidence? My insecurity keeps increasing and doubt keeps growing. I love God. What’s happening? Why do i feel like i lost a grip of myself, i want to feel confident and vibrant again. I want it back! Just last night i wad writing in my journal and asking God to please help me with my insecurities and lack if confidence in myself. You see… Being a single patent is hard but its harder where the father of my daughter always tells me what i screw up i am and what a bad mom i am..for reasons that are irrelevant and unnecessary.my new job..well I’m grateful i have one, its a great opportunity but its not what i truly desire to be..i just need it right now, my boss puts me down a lot when i make the littlest mistakes, I’m still learning but his personality is very volatile. I’m trying me best everyday,i all God to protect me from put downs and feeling inadequate.i hope that everything i go through can only help me to grow more and help other women, girls hear my testimony one day so i can be an encouragement and light to others with all that i have gone through. That’s why i write a lot. A quote from Mark Chironna i saw yesterday…”you are a walking set of interpretations because you are a meaning-maker.sometimes the meaning you make out of what you experience is not totally true.you then tell yourself half truths or mis truthsthat determine both your mood and your response.truth telling in self talk is a skill to be developed leading to transformation.it requires reframing the way you observe reality, interpret reality, and act on reality. ” This is a small key, step that God showed me that its going to start from my very thoughts andwithin me.
Thank you for your devotional! You are inspiring Renee.
I am a middle-aged woman who loves God, has an excellent career, is well educated with multiple degrees, is well liked and respected, and has a wonderful husband. I am also over weight, which is my main trigger of doubt and self-worth. If I let it, it will crush my confidence and self worth in a minute. Through the love of God and others, I am able to overcome those negative feelings.
wow! what a timely message for us women today. I recently saw an ad showing a woman standing on top of a huge pile of all that she had accomplished – we are expected to do it all! No wonder we doubt ourselves. I am a mother of four, pastor’s wife and work a full-time job. My work situation is not a very positive atmosphere and even though I work hard, it is never “good enough”. I have always struggled with self-doubt and this job has only magnified that. Thank you for this devotion!! I needed to be reminded to not get stuck in the mire of the AM thoughts…..
Thank you so much for that video. Whether it is writing or speaking, I often doubt my ability to communicate my ideas. I am a college student and lead campus ministries but the Enemy certainly feeds lies about my inadequacy. Similarly when I saw this space to share ideas I thought “God anything but that, I don’t have a worthy contribution”. I was reminded of how God gives us the words of our mouths, the desires of our heart, and equips us to do His good work. I now realize my “against me” thoughts in that way and am able to surrender them for “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful” (Psalm 139:14).
THank you Rene. I read your book this spring & your personal testimony has been very encouraging to me. I appreciate how you shared your thoughts & feelings. That is real and precious treasure.
I really enjoyed your devotional today through Proverbs 31. I find that doubt in in my life is most strongly related to my faith. Not in the Lord but in my ability to be “the best Christian I can be.” It’s a very self taught doubt because I grew up in a home full of love for the Lord but not legalistic at all. I fear all the time that I’m not following God’s calling for me, that maybe I’m not listening to the right things, maybe I’m making up my calling and not listening at all. I also doubt because I fall into the comparison trap, especially with my husband. When we first started dating he judged my faith a lot based on things he was unsure of. Prior to marrying he stopped and apologized but now I’ve developed a pattern. He’s on the worship team and serving more, he knows scripture better than me, the list could go on forever. I hate falling into that trap because not only does it hinder me from serving the Lord but my husband as well.
What a blessing to come upon the Proverbs 31 one email/post that let me to your video. I have slipped into a season in my life where I seem to only be tuning into AM. In the last 2 years, we have sold a business we owned for 18 years, moved to a new town, and had my husband deployed shortly after the move. I have been shaken to the core. I also stuggle with depression. Just when I think I have take 3 steps forward, the AM station throws me back a few steps. THis was a great reminder of who is broadcasting AM and who is broad casting FM. I also really appreicate visual or story examples to this is perfect. This new metaphor is encouraging and will be one more arrow in my quiver to fight against Satan and his attempt to steal, kill and destroy. THanks for the encouragment!
I need this confidence boost right now so much. I am a new widow and my children are college age, so I find myself trying to figure out who I am now, after being a wife and mom for 25 years. Handling everything such as finances, and making all the decisions myself can be so overwhelming sometimes. I need to be reminded that God is with me through it all, and that I CAN handle everything that comes my way. I just need to tune into that FM station regularly.
I’ve been reading the 7-Day Doubt Diet this week, and what a convicting revelation of how I’ve let my doubts and fears and comparisons with others hold me back. I SO want to be delivered of these doubts, so I can live the life the Lord has planned for me. This week of devotionals and your messages of hope and freedom have turned my thinking around and I’m asking the Lord for victory over this stronghold I’ve allowed to hinder me.
Renee, I just finished your book, A Confident Heart, this morning. Wow! I feel that you wrote this book just for me! I too have struggled with so many of the issues that you have addressed. I praise God that you were obedient in writing your personal struggles down for women like myself to read and to know that we are okay because of Jesus’ blood and sacrifice. I look forward to ‘recovering’ from doubt and living in the shadow of the Cross. May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless your ministry! Thank YOU!
I just can’t teel you how doubt enters my mind all day. I am going to take heart to the am/ fm philosophy today and every day!!!
I have lived with “fear” for so long that I had lost any hope of peace. God has been healing me as I walk through the mess I’m in, but that are still days that I get overwhelmed with the fear and self-doubt and don’t remember who I am in Christ. I pray for a breakthrough, for His strength, for His peace but feel too weak to fight… the last couple days have been hard, I know that God is with me and will never leave or forsake me… but I WANT TO BE FREED FROM THIS HELL! I know His timing is perfect and there is a lesson He is trying to teach me, I just hope I get it soon. He loves me and suffers with me as I struggle with this but because He loves me He knows I need this to become the person He planned for me to be. Thank you Father that YOU will never leave me or forsake me, or lie to me or deceive me. Help me grasp these promises not just in my head but in my soul. Amen.
Your devotion today really spoke to me, causing me to explore your website and learn more about all of the resources you offer to help women become strong. Like many of the women who have commented here, I do spend too much time trying to please others, and draw too much of my self-worth from what others think of me. I also tend to have a terrible time forgetting past wrongs and hurts, leaving me insecure and ready to be hurt again, even by those close to me. I’m hopeful that spending time with your devotions and resources will help me grow in God beyond these weaknesses and become a confident woman again…thank you for your words. I read the P31 devotions every day and am always grateful for how they speak to me and help shape how I try to live each day.
As a mom, wife and teacher, I feel like I’m so hard on myself. I deal with the doubt and failure. God is with me and I should have no fears! This message was a good reminder.
I am constantly comparing myself to other women, and I know that I shouldn’t. I need to always remind myself that no woman is perfect, we all have our faults and strengths too. As a community we need to lift eachother up and stop comparing. We need to help each other and be willing to ask for help when we need it. God made us all in his image and we can do all things through Him. Thank you for the reminder that I need to stop doubting myself, and that God will help me with this.
I let fear and insecurity rule what I do. I tend to compare myself with others and it causes me to doubt myself. I need to replace my doubts with God’s thoughts about me. I know this and know this will work, but I just let the devil get a hold of me. I need to be intentional about relying on God and replacing his thoughts with my doubts and fears. He will give my the strength I need. Thank you for this. This is something I really need.
Our Lord has allowed me to read this today, in his perfect timing! I, too, struggle with confidence issues that are triggered by a mistake in my past. I pray that Jesus will release me from being paralyzed when new opportunities arise. I want to learn how to see myself through His eyes, not my own. Thank you Renee 🙂
I have doubts about every facet of life. It affects all of my relationships and I hate that. Your devotion today was just what I needed. My mentor and I were talking about finding a book to study about our identities in Christ and your book sounds like just what I need.
I have never quite felt as if I measured up in certain areas of my life. I grew up poor, overweight, and in the shadow of beautiful sisters. I became the “Funny Fat Girl” who was really smart. I had a niche. I adore serving others, filling needs, and being the hands and feet of Jesus is the joy of my heart. but I have never, or rarely, felt “good enough” to receive the agape/grace I often try to give. Negative words and criticism set me back and it hurt. I seek affirmation from the people I have set highest in my personal life. Professionally, I feel rather strong most days. I just do not feel-personally- all that special…I put up walls, I put off “earn my friendship because I have been hurt” actions and attitudes. But, in all of this, I am thankful that now I am aware of it and can now lay it at His feet…it’s taken years of prayer and study to get to “here” and I praise Him for that.
Pornography in my marriage has led me to doubt everything about myself – even though my husband proclaims how beautiful I am to him, I constantly find myself comparing myself, doubting myself. Most of the steps backwards in our healing are a result of my lack of confidence and self doubt of my worth. I tell myself God made me, I am His creation, but those doubts creep back in and I find any confidence I had flying out the window. This mornings devotion really touched my heart.
I doubt my family members which hinders our relationships. Today spoke of how I need to get rid of Sayan’s lies and only rely on the truth of God.
Hi Renee,
I just recently left a full time ministry position to focus on a post abortion recovery ministry. God is good and has given me the opportunity to apply for a position specific to my calling, but those doubts start creeping in. Your message was timely and I will focus on what He says about me. He is calling me therefore equipping me for that purpose! Thank you!
I’m now on Ch. 12 of ACH. I cannot thank you enough for the peace that God has given me through your book. I bought copies for each of my sisters and hope to lead a bible study in my home based on your book. Our earthly father was often neglectful. Our parents divorced during our adolescent years. Ironically, we all married men that act a lot like our father did. Through your book, and God’s Holy Spirit, I have personally been able to start overcoming my insecurities. If my marriage were a patient right now, it would be in critical condition, hooked up to life support. Your message has given me hope. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. God has used you in great ways. Please pray for me. I have a 12 year old and a 9 year old who need their dad to break his gambling addiction and give his heart to God. I pray without ceasing that God reveal His face to my husband, and that He soften my husband’s heart. Thank you for your prayers in advance, and for the comfort your words have provided! God bless you, Renee!
Ok, this is so amazing! Just seconds after my first post, I walked over to the printer to get the copy of “Doubts Triggers & God’s Truths” and was going to show my co-worker. When I got to the printer, it was not there! I looked over at my co-worker, who had taken it off the printer and was high-lighting it! I laughed and teased her that she stole my copy! I was really going to make her a copy, but she saw it on the printer and thought, “this is for me, God must’ve known I needed this”! She said she had been thinking thoughts like the ones in the copy! Praise the Lord! See? He always knows what we need and when we need it!
Renee,
It doesn’t seem sufficient to just say, “Thanks, I needed that” but it sums up how I felt when I watched and read this.
I will try to only tune in to FM today!
Thank you!
This really hit home for me today. I need to spend some quality time praying about this.
It saddens me how easily we listen to the lies of the enemy about ourselves. Just like any other lie he tells, we do not have to believe it. But that’s where it is so important to know the word of God to counteract the lie! He has given us the tools to use. He values us so much to try every way possible to help us to know that. It takes faith to believe just like every thing else. We just have to choose to believe He really can and does love us like no one else ever can or will!