Today I shared the story of how I discovered the shadow of my doubt. That day was a huge turning point for me.
As I stood in my bathroom looking at the humongous shadow on my wall, I sensed God whispering to my heart: Renee, you can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.
Slowly I turned back toward the lights above the mirror, and realized I was no longer standing in the shadow. I also realized I’d created the shadow by blocking the light.
Shadows are created all around us when something blocks light. And so it is with the shadow of doubt.
When we focus on ourselves and how inadequate we feel, or what others are thinking about us, we block the light of God’s Truth in our hearts which casts a shadow of doubt over our thoughts.
Our thoughts end up being mostly about ourselves: how we’re performing and what others are thinking about us. It’s not that these thoughts are bad. It’s just that when we focus our attention on ourselves, we turn our attention away from God.
We become concerned and sometimes consumed by what others think of us, instead of what God thinks about us.
If we want to live beyond the shadows of our doubts, we have to turn our eyes toward the Light by focusing on God’s thoughts towards us, instead of our thoughts about ourselves.
Turning toward the Truth
Until that day in my bathroom with God and my shadow, I thought doubt was simply a negative emotion. I kept thinking I’d be more confident if I’d just try harder to believe in myself. But it wasn’t about trying harder, it was about turning sooner.
Self-focus had turned my heart away from God’s promises. What about you? How many of these doubts have lured you away from the truth and into doubts shadows?
- I’m not good enough.
- I’m always disappointing someone.
- I can’t follow God consistently.
- I’ll never change.
That day was my turning point. I wanted to burn the image in my mind. Turning away from the shadow—turning toward the light. Turning would be crucial.
Turning away from self – Turning toward God
Turning away from doubt – Turning toward Truth
Turning away from darkness – Turning toward Light
Instead of waiting for God to zap us with confidence and remove our doubts, let’s ask God to use our doubts to draw us into a deeper place of dependence on Him and His promises. It’s not necessarily going to be easy, because it requires turning, but it is possible and worth what it takes to turn.
Turning leads to transforming, as we allow our thoughts to be made new, and transforming leads to believing as God’s thoughts become our Truth.
When doubt casts its shadow over us, let turn back to Jesus and live in the Light of His truth:
- When we feel inadequate, God says: You are CHOSEN.
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he’” (Isa. 43:10). - When we feel afraid, God says: You are REDEEMED.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isa. 43:1). - When we feel unloved, God says: You are LOVED.
“You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (Isa. 43:4). - When we feel forgotten, God says: You are REMEMBERED.
“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:16).
_____________
I know this is a lot to process but today can be a turning point if you only remember this: Having a God-confident heart is not about trying harder, it’s about turning sooner.
I’m giving away two copies of A Confident Heart and two sets of conference calls for the upcoming Confident Heart online Bible study hosted and led by Melissa Taylor from Proverbs 31 Ministries. I’ll tell you how you can win in a minute but first I want to tell you about some free encouragement/resources:
- My Free Resources page has a list of promises to personalize and more free stuff!
- You can click here to download Chapter 1 from A Confident Heart and watch the book trailer here.
- “Like” my Confident Heart Facebook page, and you’ll receive (almost) daily encouragement and scriptures from me.
- You can sign up for email updates in that little box up at the top to receive my posts via email. That way you’ll know about free resources I add, give-aways coming up and all kinds of things you don’t wanna miss
Now, be sure to click “Share your thoughts” below and do just that. I love hearing from you and praying for you! Your comment can be short but it’s what I need to have your name for the drawing.
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Your book looks as though it may truly be an answer to my prayer. It isnt easy to diagnose how and why we sometimes end up spiritually apathetic but if you’ve had a close spiritual walk with the Lord in the past, your life feels so empty when you aren’t continuing that close spiritual walk with Him. It isn’t intentional but when it happens, you feel the void and the emptyness hurts. I recently remarked to a friend I wanted to reignite that passion for Christ and I’m praying for God’s grace to bless all of us as we seek Him through your words. Thank you so much for finding the way to hit on a subject so very close to my heart!
Renee, My husband is a pastor and 5 years ago right after we moved to a new church in a new state, we discovered I had a brain tumor. A few weeks after the surgery, I knew I was going to be a little bit different, like my children say, my “filter” was effected and sometimes I speak before thinking it through….well, really most times, I do now. But within a couple of months after my surgery, the elders told my husband that we weren’t a good fit and asked him to resign. We had only been there 7 months. One of the reasons they said was because he could not “hit the ground running because of me”. Not only did we lose our church, our ministry there, our home (we’d moved 2000 miles!), my health, our income, but we both lost our confidence and self worth. It has taken us these past 5 years to do some mending. God has brought wonderful loving people into our lives to help, even to help provide like he fed Elijah via ravens. My husband is now back in the ministry and pastoring a church of 20 instead of 700. But we know the faithfulness of God. I would love receive a copy of your book. I know that it would bless me (I read the first chapter 2x) and I think it would help my 3 grown children that were also scarred. Blessings,
I can relate so much to people judging me by my limitations. I have a chronic illness and it’s hard to live in a world that judges you by your accomplishments. My heart goes out to you. I’m so glad you are in ministry again!
I have been feeling like I am in a huge turning point in my christian and personal life. This is has also been causing me to deal with some things and make some serious changes in my life. Doubt and fear of failure have kept me from doing many things in my life, I really want that to change. I am currently invovled in the starting of a new church and there are so many opportunites there for new ministries. I am not sure where I fit into the bigger picture of this church but I know God is workig on me to overcome some of the past so that I can do his work through this new and growing church. I feel like he wants to use me but I need to get somethings settled within me before Ican move forward. I am excited to read this book and realywant to bring it into a new womens bible study.
I am 50 years old, 6 ft tall and shaped like a pear. I am mocked constantly and no man ever wants to date me. Many women don’t talk to me…they are so petite and cute, and let me know that they are so much better than I am. (The “Christian” women are the worst of the bunch.) As such, I’m all alone. I’m not thrilled with God. How can I possibly have confidence?
This was just what I needed. I have been awakened to the fact that I am married to a verbal abuser, and my oldest son is also verbally abusive. Even though we are in counseling, at this point my husband is not able to be told the truth about his behavior. For 27 years I thought I just wasn’t good enough, and all the stuff that goes with it. I feel like I am at the end of my rope. The Proverbs 31 site was sent to me by my sister. I am so grateful to her for that. Thank you so much.
Just the title intrigues me…I downloaded the first chapter to read…
Count me in for the drawing for the book.
(although I am unable to do a conference call at this time-thank you)
WOW…….. This devo couldn’t have come at a better time. I am so full of doubt after 14 years of marriage to a man that made me more insecure then ever. I am now a single mother and have so much doubt. I have not felt like I was loveable or worthy of love for many years. I realize now that the love I need is from God and not man. I just got your book and plan to have Bible study with my “Sisters in Faith” which is what I call a small group of girl friends. My friends do not have your book yet and I would love to win the books and given them to my friends. Bless you for your helpful words!
I am tremendously blessed from reading Proverbs 31 woman devotionals. They are always on target for me. I also share with others whenever I am led to do so. May God continue to use all of you to transform lives for His glory. I would love to be entered into your drawing.
I HAVE DONE 2 THINGS WHEN YOU FIRST OFFER DOWNLOADING YOUR IST CHAPTER I READ IT. YESTERDAY I LIKED YOU ON FACEBOOK A VERY NICE PAGE. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ENTERED INTO YOUR DRAWING. THANK YOU FOR ALL SHARING AND ENCOURAGING . GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS KAY
I love your devotions and I would love this book!
I recently got my copy of your book, A Confident Heart, and love it. It is really an encouragement to me so far and look forward to more every day. I have already decided that all my family and friends should have it too. I appreciate your honesty and being real with me about your doubts and thoughts. It is exciting to me that you are sharing your journey. It is so obvious that God is using you to touch many other lives through your experience. I am looking forward to how God uses me now through my journey of A Confident Heart. Thank you Renee for sharing and for the opportunity to win additional copies to give to others.
Chris
Received my copy of ACH this week. Am currently using the 7-Day Doubt Diet as my daily devotion to prep for Melissa’s Bible study. Would love to be able to give a copy of ACH to my daughter who, unfortunately, seems to have ‘inherited’ my self-doubting nature.
This is the exact message I needed at exactly the right time. Amazing how God works….
Thank you!
I finished reading A Confident Heart last week. My first thought was, “when did you live in my house and see all of this?” I have been blessed so much by your honesty, your love for Christ, and love for family. You are without a doubt my sister whom I’ve never met.
You have eloquently written about struggles that so many women face. Thank you.
~Diane
I am very excited to read the “Doubt Diet”. I am constantly struggling with this. As a pastor’s wife, there are many times when I feel like I need to step out of my comfort zone, but being an introvert, it is really hard for me to do this. I would rather stay in my safe and easy “comfort zone”. I think this is such a great subject for all us females as we tend to struggle with low self-esteem a lot. I would love to receive a copy of your book! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with all of us!
Great devotion…I shared it with my fb friends.
Soundss like a wonderful book!
Feeling inadequate is what I have done today. Thank you for your comment on turning sooner. Turning to God is exactly what I need to do at all times.
Thank You Renee for pointing out things that many of us have been thinking about already. I have a problem with my doubts,especially when I get my eyes off the Lord. This is so easy to do, but then we are not picking up our cross and dying to self. Thank you for the promises that we need to center on.
Thank you so much for your words. Not only did I need to hear what you had to say, but a friend of mine does as well. I forwarded your email to her.
Blessings.
Renee, you are blessing me with your words! What encouragement. It was a light bulb moment when you said that we become consumed with what others think about us INSTEAD of what God thinks about us.
The negative thoughts, I’ll never change, I’m always disappointing someone, etc. are unfortunately much too prevalent in my mind. But your entire devotional was a balm to my soul. Thank you for the hope that even after all these years God can heal my thoughts.