After reading your comments and emails last week week, I’m so encouraged by how God interrupted what I was doing and prompted me to check on you. That prompting led me to invite you on an unplanned journey through my 7-day Doubt Diet. Over 4000 of you signed up, and hundreds of you shared how much you needed this, at such a time as this.
Friend, God hears your prayers. He knows your needs and He is pursuing you with His love. I’m so honored that I get to be a part of what He is doing in your life. I want us to give ourselves time to let God speak to us as we apply these devotions in our lives. So, I’ve decided to stretch the 7 days over 2 weeks, with a post every other day on weekdays only, after today. Day 2 will be posted on Tuesday, Day 3 on Thursday and then day 4 next Monday, and so on.
Each day we’ll have a key verse called “Food for Thought” and a “Doubt Diet Tip” to help us apply that day’s message. I’m praying for you, friend, and I want us all to pray for each other. Let’s pray that no matter how hard life is or how much doubt tries to weigh us down – we will ask God to help us know and rely on His love and live in the security of His promises – so we can lose the weight of self-doubt and gain a confident heart!
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Day 1: Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence
Taken in part from Chapter 1 and 6
© 2011 by Renee Swope with Revell Publishing.
Food for thought: 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)
One night I was cleaning the kitchen and threw away this little rubber thingy that was on our counter top. Suddenly I realized it was the power button for our TV remote control. As I dug through the trash to find it, I regretted how quickly I’d thrown it away. Then, as I reached to pull it out, I sensed God showing me that’s how easily I throw away my confidence—without even 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 I’ve gone along with it, tossing my confidence into the trash without even thinking about it.
For the longest time, I didn’t tell anyone about my lack of confidence because I figured if I told them all the reasons I doubted myself, they’d see my flaws and agree with me. Honestly, I was convinced I was the only one who struggled with doubt.
However, I didn’t call it doubt. Maybe you don’t either. Sometimes I called it worry—worry that I was going to disappoint someone, worry that I might make a mistake and get criticized for it, worry that I might start something but not be able to finish.
Other times I’d call it fear—fear that I wouldn’t measure up, fear that I’d look stupid, fear that I’d look prideful thinking I could do something special for God. What I’ve realized over the past several years is that these feelings may end up as fear or worry, but their source is self-doubt.
Looking back, I see a pattern in my thinking that led to the pattern of my doubting.
As a child I thought I wasn’t worth keeping. My insecurity kept me from riding amusement park rides, because I doubted my dad would wait for me. In school, I doubted I was smart enough and avoided some great opportunities because they came with the risk of failure. As a young bride, I doubted my husband’s faithfulness, although he gave me no reason to fear. Our newlywed memories include a lot of arguments about trust.
What about you? Do you ever agree with the whispers of doubt and throw away confidence that should be yours as a child of God? Are you tired of questioning whether you have what it takes to become the woman you want to be, or the woman God is calling you to be?
The first step to living with a confident heart is for us to recognize the power we give to self-doubt, then stand up to it and claim the confidence that is ours through Christ. That is what we’ll be doing for the next seven days as we learn to live in the security of God’s promises in our everyday lives.
To get started, let’s ask God to show us when we throw away our confidence this week, and help us throw off the weight of our insecurities instead.
Lord, I want to become a woman with a confident heart in Christ. Show me how to recognize when I’m tempted to throw away my confidence. And please help me throw away my insecurity instead. I want the reward of persevering in Your truth so that when I have done Your will, I will receive what You have promised. I don’t want to be a woman who shrinks back and is destroyed but one who believes and is saved. 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. (See Hebrews 10:35–36, 39; Mark 9:23)
Doubt Diet Tip: When you start a diet or physical training plan, experts recommend you take a Body Mass Index analysis to determine if you are overweight, underweight, or in a healthy weight range. As we get started, our first assignment is to complete the FREE “Doubt Index Analysis” I created to help identify your most common doubts, see how they affect you and determine just how much self-doubt could be weighing you down by.
Let’s Talk: I want this to be a journey we take TOGETHER, where we talk to each other, encourage and pray for one another and talk about what God is showing us. To do that, please click here to go back to my website (if you’re reading this via email) and then click on “Share Your Thoughts” below this Day 1 post.
That’s where we’ll share our hearts, our stories, our struggles (so others can know they’re not alone and so we can pray for each other) and read others stories too. I believe that is where real community and encouragement will come – and Jesus will meet us there and minister to us through one another!
I took the doubt Analysis Inventory and was so surprised at the score. Not as doubtful as I thought I was. Praise God!!! ~ However, there is still much room for improvement.
This is such a possitive way to approach seeing where doubt has caused so much interference with the good things God has for me.
Thank you, Renee for allowing our God to work through you, at this very moment in our life journeys.
There is so much pain and suffering in the hearts of women ~ God is healing broken hearts, at this very moment ~ Believe it, it is coming to pass…sbr
I didn’t realize I had a problem of insecurity, fear, and confidence, until someone else helped me see I was beating myself up all the time. Thankful to God that He heals our hearts.
I know I have a lot of self-doubt lately. But I don’t know how to cast it off. I pray fervently, read His word diligently and fill my mind with what is good and pure, but still I feel weighed down with doubt/worry/fear of failure.
God has called me to pursue yet more education. But this time it’s harder than every other time combined, and I have even less time to tackle the work and I just feel like I and drowning in work AND self-doubt when not too long ago I was so happy, optimistic, and confident. I really hope the doubt diet helps me turn things back around and start to trust God more not only in my words and actions and but also with my mind and heart.
I pray all of you on this doubt diet will find the confidence you seek. I look forward to doing this with you all. Thank you Renee!
All my best regards,
Xenia
With amazement I read the first chapter of DD and thought of how i have always felt so unworthy of happiness and joy. How i always want to fix things that go wrong, to protect my children and husband/. I recently quit my job and we are for the first time in 20 years struggling to make the monthly bills i know it was my choice that put us here but i could not take the abuse at work any longer ,I am happy today (my new job is less stressful and close to home) but constantly worried about everything I have survived cancer a very sick husband, a truly dysfunctional childhood an abused relationship and have always thought of my self as confident even when things were bad i could get through it . But now I feel so old and useless and this feeling just doesnt go away I need this DD today more then ever .Thank you Renee for opening my eyes to the Lord and teaching me how to let God led my way .
I backed out of my 7DD when you first ran it, but since started reading ACH. I’m feeling the timing is right for me to have begun the 7DD again. I’m struggling with doubt, and self-doubt, under the definition of “fear” or “worry,” as you posted today. As I read that section I felt immediately that God was trying to show me I may need to get out of my own way for what He has next, which is very close, and very new, and very risky and scary, but also exciting and potentially the last leg of healing He has for me.
I cannot remember a time that I didn’t feel fearful. I was raised in a very legalistic church, we were able to get out but the condemnation didn’t leave. I am able to do things that I feel overwhelmed by, I’ve been a Missionary, but I still lack confidence. I am praying this study will open my eyes and heart to the whole truth.
Bless you all for doing this journey too!
I continue to be amazed at how easily I accept that my “comfort zone” is not really the most comfortable. But change is hard, and in reading A Confident Heart, I’m finding new questions to ask myself, and God, as I learn to “trash the insecurities” and keep the confidence in Christ. I also find myself in reminder that in reading the book I don’t have to master one concept before moving to the next chapter…oh the pressures we put on ourselves! Keep taking your steps, Sue! He is strong in our weakness.
wow Renee, I used to think the preacher sat in my house and new what to preach on sunday, now i swear you have a hidden microphone here….it sounds so like me, but, unlike you i am positive i cant, do this, i may go ahead and opt out now, i am not worth, the time of day, ask everyone in my life, everyone i ever loved i lost, i have given up alot for others, because that is what was expected…..you are truly a woman of God!
Renee, I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin, but I started your 7 day doubt diet with some women from church at the beginning of Sept. we do one day a week. It has been an amazing jouney for me and I will be doing it with you again starting tomorrow. I need all the help I can get.
My daughter gave birth to our first granddaughter on July 31st in OK, I live in NJ. Hadley is amazing : ) I have wanted grandchildren since I was a little girl, believe it or not, b/c my grandmother (Nanny) died when I was 8 1/2 and we were very close so I wanted to be a Nanny just like her.
Well, guess that’s not God’s plan since she is so far and I’m not exactly welcomed in my daughters home. My daughter and I have had a difficult relationship since she was very young and although I was saved when she was 13 and I tried desperately to fix our relationship she has not forgiven me enough yet to let us get close. Her husband is of no help, he is not a “family kind of guy”, he is cold towards us, he has cheated on my daughter (once that we know of) but she chose to forgive him. He just told my husband and I that my husband is a better man than him b/c he put up with me and my depression and mood swings all these years and he is not willing to do that for Jillian, if she doesn’t straighten up soon he will not spend his life living like that.
I can’t tell her what he said b/c she already gets angry with me whenever I say anything about their relationship. I doubt everything I say and do in her presence. I know God is in control and loves all of us the same but it’s a struggle to see how he can love someone like my son-in-law who is so manipulative.
Your study has helped me see what my part is and what I can and can’t do about the doubt that floods my broken heart. Thank you for helping me get through this very painful and confusing time. I know God has Hadley in His mighty hands and I have to give up my will to let His will be done but I will tell you it’s the hardest thing I have had to do so far in my life.
Thank you for sharing with us. Self-doubt has been my life long companion. Each year i gain more victory and freedom…doubt becomes weaker and smaller. But it is always the first emotion to rear it’s ugly head; maybe this is the year I will put self-doubt in it’s place. Under my feet!
This came at a time that I needed it. I tend to keep up images and not show who I truly am, just wear this happy mask for everyone because I’m afraid the moment they see who I really am they won’t like me. I don’t let myself get close to friends because I think that eventually they are going to realize what kind of person I am and not want to be around me. I’m at college now, off on my own for the first time, and many people have these close friends and here I am playing the outsider. What I have come to realize is that it isn’t the timing of being friends, it’s that I have been keeping this guard up to others because I fear criticism and the fact that I will once again be left alone. This is a huge lift me up that I am not the only one struggling with doubt.
God has also used this to show me that everything that I have done is to break me of my “everything’s ok” mask that I wear. He is making me look stupid/clumsy in front of other people and making me be vulnerable in front of others, through circumstances I can’t control. He is trying to show me what He can do through me and through others if I just let my guard down.
Thank you for this! I really needed it. God thought so too! 😀
Thank you for the sending this encouragement today and each day at a time that is needed and appreciated. I need the reminder to stand on God’s promises when negative thoughts come in, as today with my job. Thank you for being personal, real, and full of the love of Jesus. Thank you for caring. God bless you
Thank you Renee and all who shared your personal struggles. Your stories helped more than you know. I have probably struggled with self doubt most of my life. I am looking forward to this diet!!
We both lost jobs, my husband and I. We lived off of our retirement savings for over 10 monts until the money was all gone. My husband and I both get social security, but it is barely enough to live on. I have been having dental problems, and am thousands of dollars in debt because of it. At our age, life should be fun and secure. For us, it is a continuous struggle and it is disheartening. I keep wondering when God will step in and direct us and help us get back on track. I feel as if I have failed and my husband feels exactly the same way, only he feels he has failed me as a husband. I read your book on the Confident Heart, and while reading it, I feel lifted and encouraged. However, I am beginning to feel as if the rest of our life will be a continuous struggle. Our confidence is gone. We need prayer or something. How can I believe that there is a bigger and better plan in store for us?
Thank you!!!! God’s timing is perfect!!!! I battle with this daily and am looking forward to see how He changes my life.
It is my privilege to share in this journey with you. Thank you for listening to the Holy Spirit and doing this again. Although I have com along a great ways, I still have much progress in this area that needs to be made. I am a single LPN who took time off to care for both of our parents – my Mom recently passed away after my father passed in 2002. I am looking to know what it is that I am supposed to be doing now. I have become disabled by seizures and the side effects of the meds to treat the seizures. I must say that my confidence is not at it’s highest after many years of continual seizures but God is working on that!
I broke down in tears after the first sentence of the prayer, Lord, I want to become a woman with a confident heart in Christ. My husband’s job is a huge stress right now and we are extremely insecure as to our future, not knowing from day to day if he is working. This with a company that everyone thinks is so secure. My doubts are huge, yet when I read aloud that first sentence in prayer to God, the tears just flowed. I know this is where I need to be right now, learning to conquer my doubts and fears, get out of my slump, and persevere, waiting on my Father who is the only one in control of anything. Thank you for this, God knew I would be one of those in desperate need.
My question is what if what you are thinking seems to be happening. I have a friend in my life that always seems to draw people. I introduced her to a friend of mine, but nnow that friend is always calling her and she never calls me anymore. I always feel like Im in the background when we are together because she shines so, does that mean Im boring or do I just have to praying for a new group of friends? I am a laid back person but I always seem to attract the outgoing people, why is that?
God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect.. He knows our struggles and when we need things in our lives..
This is something that I am really struggling with right now…. so I am very excited to see what God will do!!!
Thanks for listening to Him!!
Chrissy
My life is all about taking care of my five children and husband. I am the last in our house. I don’t know who or what I would be if I did not have them all to be taking care of. When people ask what are your hobbies I look at them with a blank stare. People have said your so calm and have it so together…….not true. At least I don’t feel that way. Maybe I should go into acting because that’s how I feel most days that its all just an act so I can get through the day. If my kids argue I doubt my parenting skills. If the house is not perfect then I doubt my cleaning skills and that just leads into a whole lot more doubt so it’s easier to just not face it. That makes me sad. I don’t want to doubt my abilities any more so I am looking forward to this 7 day doubt diet. I want to feel like the strong confident person people think I am and I want to be that person.
Paige,
I understand completely. The last five years my husband has been on multiple deployments with the Army. We have seven children, five at home with ADHD. I work as a school teacher and with our youth group at church. Everybody says I don’t know how you do it. I just do it the best I can but what they do not see is the lack of confidence and self doubt I have developed over this time. I do not feel that I am good at anything. It has been a long journey for my family to get my husband back from PTSD and TBI. He seems to be doing good and now I am falling apart. I do not feel that I deserve my husband or my kids. Ten years ago, I was a happy confident woman. Now I just want to go to bed and pull the covers over my head. I am so overwhelmed and exhausted. I too want to get rid of my self doubts and live confidently in the Lord. Hang in There. God did not create nobodys. You are in my prayers. God Bless!
It always amazes me how God shows Himself in the smallest and yet hugest ways! I signed up for this study last week, and yesterday my husband told me that another company is buying the company he works for. Since he’s on the Executive Team it’s a looming fear that the new company will bring in their own executives and let the others go. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s been laid off, and I’m reminded of how faithful God was the last time it happened, but my immediate response was fear and doubt that God would take care of us the way I feel we need to be taken care of! What an incredible lack of faith with a healthy dose of pride thrown in!! As if I know what’s best for my family! Then last night came the first installment of our study, and I suddenly realized that He had timed this so perfectly in my life!!! Isn’t God awesome?!!! Thank you, Renee, for letting Him use you to influence all of us! May He bless you & your family as you lead us through this way too common response to life and learn to live with confident hearts!
I will be praying for perfect provision from God for you and your family. I too am in a similar situation with my husbands job, there is no security, and it’s a daily struggle as to whether he is working or not. It’s a daily struggle as to if we can pay bills this month. You will be in my prayers as we face this together, head on, full of confidence, NOT fear or doubt!
Nancy D.
Thank you, Dear Nancy! You, too, will be in my prayers as we journey toward confident hearts together!
I haven’t had the courage to share this… but my prayer is that throught this I will begin to live again. about 3 years ago i discovered that my husband of 25 years was adicted to porn, and had a huge lust issue. (Now keep in mind that I had NO idea what-so ever. I thought we had the “perfect marriage” – all happy and good. We attended church EVERY week, did mission work together, lead a Bible study at our home, sang with the praise team at our chutrch…. very involved) Now I become a withered balloon inside when ever I see a decent girl/woman. – I know that I am a princess of my Lord, and I KNOW that He loves me – but, I just can’t seem to get over this mountain. I have short bouts of semi-confidense, only to slip back into this dark pit of “sadness”. After the first year he said he didn’t do it anymore… Then I discovered he was still looking at porn on his cell phone. After that, we went to councelling, and now he says he is totally good, and I just need to trust him. I do love him – maybe too much… This is the super condensed version. I am just hoping to get my joy back. I need this study, so thank you in advance.
Oh heavy hearted I am so sorry.. Sweet friend, I am so deeply sorry for your pain. There is nothing that can shake our core than to be blind-sided by adultery – whether physical or visual – when we thought our life and our marriage was something else. I”m sure you may feel like you’ve been living a lie – and all that you thought was – wasn’t. I’m praying right now that God would bind up your wounds with His tender love. I’m praying you will find resources to help your heart heal from the betrayal and to know this is not your fault or a reflection of your worth or beauty. My husband and I have walked through some of this in our own marriage and it helped me so much to read books to understand the why behind a man’s atttraction to port and what leads to their addictions. Even if you were perfect, it wouldn’t matter. This is his issue and his sin and it’s not your fault. It doesn’t make the trust stronger, but hopefully it will help the pain ease each time you see a beautiful woman or are tempted to find flaws in your own beauty,. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are GOD’s work of are – complete, loved, chosen and cherished!! I’m praying for you friend. I promise to keep praying.
I have gone through the fire and lost not only confidence with myself, but with God also. I can’t even pray or read my bible. I feel like what is the use in picking myself back up and trying because as soon as I do I will get knocked back down again!! I am trying this 7-day doubt diet as my last resort to help me believe in myself and God again.
Wow!! This DD has perfect timing. I have doubt running through my body like blood. I’m co-chairing a golf tournament and 2 mornings this week I have to be on TV to promote my event. I have tried to come up with every excuse and/or reason to ask someone else to be on TV because I just know that I will not do a good job. I’m not sure why God feels like I need to be on TV 🙂 but I can promise you I will be doing some major praying that He will give me the strength and courage to get through these TV interviews without making a complete fool of myself.
This email is very timely. I got up this morning praying for some people that are going through some very hard times and so I sent them an email telling them that we thank God for the good things, so we also need to thank him for the troubles (thorns) in our life. i also have devotion at an Assisted Living 3 days a week, so when I went for devotion I talked about God is in Control. When I left my meeting I went to pay a water bill and my car would not start again.
I am praising God through the Storm because I know this is a trick of the enemy. God is still in Control. All we have to do is Praise our way through the storm. No matter what comes or goes, God is still in control. There is nothing we can do if we are worrying. The Bible tells us that God inhabits Praises of his people. When we praise, then the blessing come down. .
This is right on time for me I just ask God to remove something out of my life and doubt and worry is one of them I want to rely on my heavenly father for everything and do want he want. I love this site and the devotional.
Thank you Renee for writing these. I have always struggled with low self-esteem, but after a series of trials within the period of a year, I listened too much to the enemy. Now I struggle to even have the confidence to drive, afraid I’ll do something wrong. With much prayer and study, God is gaining ground, but it’s incremental. How I need these reminders that God will help me to overcome and live in freedom again.
I am so EXCITED to do the Doubt Diet. I am also doing the Confident Heart bible study with Melissa. Which I am loving! I am VERY GRATEFUL for each of you Proverbs 31 Woman. I have learned a lot through many things you all have done and shared. I praying for each of you that are doing the Doubt Diet with Renee. I know our Awesome God has great plans for each of us. May each of you have a blessed day. With Love and Prayers, Shawnia. Phil.4:13
DOUBT…. a major part of my life. Where do I begin? I want so much to overcome this, right when i think i’m coming up out of it, i’m knocked back down. I’m really struggling in my marriage right now, my financial situation is stressfull. All I hear is how I’m not a good mom or wife and as much as I don’t want to hear that, those are the words that I hear loudly in my mind. I want to be confident woman in Christ but right now I feel defeated. I thank God because he always sends what we need right when we need it.
I wept when i read the message today. sweet water to a thirsty lass. I am in a long dark season of life. Distresses on every side and no end insight.I the blow that knocked me off my feet came at 2:30 Saturday morning when my oldest son woke me to tell that youngest, also a son, was beaten up badly and needed to be looked at. Well it was bad and led the restof the night being spent in the ER. He now has a facial fracture and bottom lip so big it split and needed six stitches. My momma’s heart is worn to a frazzle. My faith is not shaken, this event has reached my heart at last! I should be weeping and praying in earnest for my lost and unwise child whose choices in the company he he keeps that led to his ordeal. It bent my knees and got me praying as I ought to have been all along. I sad to say I prayed for a while and then I moved on, I not keep at it as the word tells us to.
In my remorse and lowness od spirits your words indeed did lift me up set on a new path. I will cling to my confidencein Christ and not shrink away though i may not take full grasp of the reigns of praying ceaselessly for my youngins’ i am all over that now. With GOD NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE! I am sure of that.
We see the ENT this afternoon to find if he will need surgery. His name is Jared, he is 18 and my baby. This momma lion has a fierce emotion welling up her chest when types this note about her young cub”s struggles, he has rejected my faith as well, says he can it work for me but its not for him. I do have my work cut out for me. thanks for listening. Sherry
Sherry I am praying for you and your son. May God give you peace and comfort. Phil.4:13
Wow, it is great to know that others are struggling with fear/doubt and are not ashamed to share. So, even this woman of God, struggling since 2001 with the call of ministry continues to struggle in seminary; wondering if I am truly supposed to be there or did I make the “decision” on my own. Praying, through the weeks with all participating in this challenge, I will become more confident in God’s call. So tired of the struggle.
So much has happened in my life in the past two and a half years; things that I never thgought could happen to me. I have been going down a spiral of deep depression and for the past two years it has been the hardest challenge I have ever faced. Accepting God’s love beyond any doubt has been an issue I have wrestle since I became a Christian 24 years ago; never feeling worthy enough, or good enough and as I started to read your entry and came accross your comment about looking back to see what had led you to the pattern of your doubting, I realize that mine had started in my childhood.I know now that I am part of something much bigger and amazing and that I need to trust my God that I need to look back and also realize all the times that HE has been there holding me in HIS hands.
Thank you for your inspiration to do this study.
I am so thankful for this. My doubt index is high and I need to work and pray about this everyday. I am so glad/happy to share this journey with others and knowing that I am not alone in this makes it a little easier for me to try and fix this.
Thank you again for all that you are doing for us ladies.
Taking the test made me realize how much doubt is in my life and the impact it is having in all areas of my life.
i am priviledged to share in this journey with all of you precious women…….Holy Spirit fill us to overflowing with wisdom, insight, and revelation as we embark on this kingdom stealer of self doubt which i believe is a lack of faith and trust in You. forgive me Father and help all of us who are participating in this study to glean the Greatness of You……through the precious blood of the Lamb who gives us power In Jesus name….love and peace to each one of you and thankyou renee. susan michael
This is a great reminder to trust my God. I’m needing a job so could you all be praying for that? How wonderful to know so many Jesus women are lifting each other’s need before his throne!! I will be praying for the other requests also. I have to say though, this is a bit overwhelming trying to read all these!! Anyone else feel that way?
Renee,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us and taking us on a journey with you and God. It now appears that many of us suffer from self doubt and have the same thoughts as you have had. When I read your first entry, I laughed because I too have had the same thoughts about myself.
Thanks again for this learning opportunity and to grow with God.
Cheryl
I guess I really needed this. I took the analysis and failed miserably! Every answer was Always!! I didn’t realize how much my insecurity and fear are controlling my life. I feel so overwhelmed I don’t know where to start. I’ll be praying that God shows me.
This is just what I need right now-a reminder that God is in control and will walk me through every insecurity. It is so funny that I feel insecure about traveling out of town to babysit my 3 and 6 yr. old grandchildren for 2 weeks while their parents travel overseas. My goodness I raised their Mommy and another sibling and they both turned out just fine. I just keep having thoughts of, do i have the energy, will I be afraid to be there without my husband, what if there is an accident…I need to rest in God and His promise to never leave me or forsake me. I want to pour into these children and impact them for Christ; I can only do it through Him.
Gosh our enemy is lurking!! There are some serious financial burdens coming down on us right now and wake up to my daughter complaining that she does not have enough. Enough cloths, shoes, etc..(she does have plenty but getting caught in the comparison trap). One more time I’m hooked..
I feel like I’m on a constant roller coaster of doubt, hope begins to rise only to be slammed by one more notice. I have a tendency to be paralyzed by fear. Allowing things to slide further and further behind.
Starting a job next week and fearing that it will be too much and schedules will be too tough. Need prayer.
Wow, thanks Renee for sharing this study! I have been through a divorce recently. I also believe God has called me into a women’s ministry at my church. I feel so inadequate! Who is going to want to listen to a divorced lady??? But, I still feel His tugging on me. A special friend in my Sunday school class told me recently that I need to stop thinking that way – that maybe God is going to use what I have been through to help other women. I work 2 jobs and have very little time to devote. I have a wonderful Pastor’s wife who has been so encouraging and supportive. I want to move forward in God’s will for this in my life. I sure need some confidence! and your prayers!
My heart pours out for all these prayers and petitions and it reminds me that if I feel that way how must our Heavenly Father feel about all of this? I myself am embroiled in the revelation that my husband was unfaithful and it has just taken my self worth and all confidence that I had within my marriage. We are in counseling, and I know God wants us to work this out but I am fighting it. This violation is something that has just left me so broken. I had been married previously and after 4 years I met my now husband who I believe I have kept on this pedestal. He is a family man and I SO prayed for that. Someone who is a father, someone to go to church with and as all of our friends have affirmed just a really NICE guy. To have hurt me in this way has just been unbelieveable. I will be praying for you all and ask that you pray for me as well. That I know clearly what God wants for me and to take my own self doubt away and believe in only Him. blessings all.
I think one of the reasons I struggle with completely trusting God and accepting his love and forgiveness stems from my relationship with my earthly father. He is a Christian man and provided discipline, and though modest, financial security. But, he wasn’t good at the Daddy part. He wasn’t affectionate, and never complimented me or spent time with me. I was constantly trying to please him and feared his discipline. I knew deep down that he loved me. But, longed for a deeper relationship. I know his lack of daddy skills stem from his own background. But, it still hurt. He’s getting older now, and he has tried to make up for the past. But it still has a profound impact on my life. I’ve accepted my father and forgiven him, but Satan loves to bring back those old feelings and throw them at me every chance he gets. This is just one of many insecurities, but one I loathe and long to be rid of.
My story is silimilar except that my father has gone to be with Jesus. I feel like if he didn’t have time or affection for me, then who else would? Maybe we can find our healing together…
I struggle with self-doubt alot. Mainly when I have to speak in front of others. I am starting to lead a bible study in my church and I am terrified. Please pray that god will take over for me.
I to have always struggled with doubt even at a young age. I am a now working on my master in Family and Marriage counseling and have started to doubt that I have what it takes to be a successful counselor. I have consider quitting because I feel at this time I am just not able to to work full time, be a good mother, wife, and minister and complete this degree. I feel in my spirit this is my calling but because of my doubt i struggle ever day with am I good enough/smart enough to do this, I want this doubt that I have struggled with so long to be removed from my life and walk into what GOD has in store for me.
I have a hard time sharing all that is going on in my life right now but ask that God to lay it upon your heart to pray for me.. I know I am dealing with a lot of doubt in my calling and the enemy continues to use members of our church to confirm my insecurities in my thought life… I try to pray though but find myself one day up feeling “I can do all thing through Christ” the next moment You aren’t worthy… thank you for your prayers I need a renewed mind.
I took the doubt index test and I am still being weighed down by doubt. I have just started my Journeyman with CWG and it is intense and I have a little dyslexia so I doubt I will be able to do this. I am still smoking and I know God wants me to quit but I doubt I can… The list goes on and on. It seems as if I take the enemy’s bait to trap me into thinking his way instead of letting the love of God overwhelm me with His grace and I constantly throw away my confidence. It feels awful, like being in limbo, I want to change I am so tired of living this way.
Thank you! God’s timing is perfect. I need this..am glad your self doubts didn’t stop you from sharing, ’cause I really need this right now.
Thank You Lord for opening up the eyes of my heart. I was so excited last week when I read the email I was so blessed the first time thru the 7 day self doubt diet. PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCY AND GRACE. It was a great weekend I attended a womens retreat at my church where I have truly been blessed where I was able to go back in time and pray and rethink my life im 40 years old and have been thru two broken relationships. God knows the reasons. I have discovered thru this that the only thing I have that cannot be taken away from me is JESUS. I stuggle financially but Im thankful that I have a job to get up and go to and the health to be able to go. But most of all Im thankful I know the one who is in control the one who knows all who knows me better that I do. As I examine myself on a daily basis I really have a wonderful check up this weekend. I have a testimony and Im thankful for that. Not proud of my past but if I could lead one soul to the LORD by sharing I surely would. Im not perfect just FORGIVEN. As I rediscover my enter feelings and examine my heart I have discovered that the past is the past and there’s nothing I can do to change that but i can move forward for GODS GLORY GOD expects us to use our failures for his GLORY and I pray I will do that. Can’t judge a book by it’s cover and I dont’ walk in nobody’s shoes but my own. He knows the plans he has for me. Cirmcumstances change GOD is still the same.
I want to be the woman God wants me to be – plain and simple. I do remember a time that I didn’t doubt, but I can’t pin-point exactly when that time existed. I have many doubts and fears, and I am currently experiencing a couple of not-so-easy issues. I need to let God lead me. I know He is working on every issue – even when I cannot see what He is doing. But I have to remind myself every day that He is doing something. I don’t think that I am forgetting this fact – I just start doubting and fearing. I thank God everyday for loving me enough to die so that I can live. I’m just tired of the devil beating me down all the time. And I’m listening. I just want the confidence to be able to fight back.
I feel a burden on my heart nearly every day. The self doubt I feel weighs me down tremendously. Some days the depression I feel is so overwhelming that just getting one foot in front of another is a major feat. I have yo-yo between God and self doubt so much in my life that I do not even have confidence that God sees me or hears my prayers. There are so many troubles in my life that it seems easy to fall into Satan’s trap of self doubt. as I become consumed in handling the troubles surrounding me.
I feel truly blessed to have found my way to this website, Reading Renee’s words and the words of other women who posted here give me confidence that there is hope. God does hear me. I am so wrapped up in my troubles that I am not hearing God. We so need to pray for each other, Thank you Renee.
Terri,
I hear you, and I’m praying for you. I feel that depression sometimes too. Some things are hard, and we don’t know why God has placed them in fromt of us. But I have to remind myself that He is always working for my good. He loves you. No matter how you might feel, He is always working “for” you, not “against” you.