Welcome! If you’ve linked over from my Encouragement for Today devotion through Proverbs 31 Ministries, I’m so glad you stopped by! I hope you’ll enjoy today’s video, enter today’s drawing, and stay for a while.
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Have you ever noticed how something can happen or someone can say something and all of the sudden thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “What is wrong with me?” will trigger a string of negative emotions?
Then, before you know it that awful, yucky feeling of self doubt comes over you and makes you want to shrink back in a corner. Self-doubt is like a bully. It makes us feel small, inadequate, less than and insecure.
But we don’t have to put up with being bullied anymore. We can live as more than a conqueror through HIM who loves us and gave His life up for us!
I’ve got a short video message to share from my NEW”Confident Heart” DVD . I recorded it to equip and empower you to stop letting doubt and discouragement beat you up and start letting God and His Word build you up instead!
If you’re reading this via email, click here to watch today’s video and enter today’s giveaway!
Confident, strong, and free – it’s closer than you think!
Join the next Proverbs 31 Ministries Online Bible Study of my book, A Confident Heart. Filled with daily insights, powerful promises, weekly video messages, and Scripture-based teachings, this online study will be life-changing! And it’s being led by Melissa Taylor and her amazing Online Bible Study. Find out more about the study and sign up here.
The P31 online study is FREE! All you need is my book A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself & Live in the Security of God’s Promises. AND if you order a copy through Proverbs 31 Ministries, it will be signed and you can receive a link to download over $40 in FREE “Confident Heart” resources. Get your signed copy here and find out more today!
TODAY’S FREE BLOG OFFER: Confident Heart “Triggers and Truths” Printable.
“Confidence Boost” GIVEAWAY:
Today I’m giving away a copy of my NEW”Confident Heart” DVD and my book, “A Confident Heart” along with my message “Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence” on CD!To enter, click “share your thoughts” below this post and let’s talk about the things that trigger our doubts and a truth God spoke to your heart through today’s video message and/or my P31 devotion.
It’s funny how one negative comment can so often outweigh numerous positive ones. This is a reality for me and one that I frequently struggle to overcome. Feelings of inadequacy in job, home and family are oft times overwhelming and leave me feeling much like Gideon in today’s devotion. Instead, I know I should focus on God’s truths and not the whispers of lies. However, this is a process and the lesson must be reviewed numerous times before it is learned and becomes habit. Thank you for today’s devotion and I look forward to seeing the video when the link is opened.
I’m not able to watch the video. It’s just giving me a black screen..
Self doubt sets in all the time in my life. I question my worth as a mother and a wife. I continue to compare myself to others. The adversary has a hold of my inadequacies. Which in turn makes me believe my self doubt even more. I also based on the voices I heard as a young child.
Morning, for me the self doubt comes all the time. Right now, I am having an issue with doubting not only myself but my faith and my worth. I feel all time that I am doing it all wrong and do not know how to fix it.
When I read your devotion on Proverbs 31 I thought, this is me! This is exactly what is holding me back from doing what I feel God wants me to do. As I continued reading critical words from out of the past bombarded me like bullets from a pellet gun. I slumped in my chair with the weight of those criticisms pulling me down. But as I read your entire message I started to pull myself up and face the onslaught with God’s thoughts. Now I know how to overcome that which has dragged me down for years. I am as good as everyone else. Maybe I don’t have 5 Master’s degrees nor traveled the world. But God has filled me with His wisdom and shown me the wonders of His world. I am His and He is mine. I need nothing more.
I can honestly say that when I begin getting closer to God, the devil steps right in and tries his best to slow me down or even bring me to a screeching halt by filling me full of self-doubt. Thank you for reminding me where my strength comes from – God! And to allow God to stop the devil in his tracks. . .
Hi I’m having trouble watching the video. it tells me it is private and I can’t watch it. what can I do?
Couldn’t see the video-says it is private. My self-doubt comes when I mess up with my children or my husband. Becoming impatient with them and taking my stress out on them. I get so discouraged and mad at myself because I can’t be more gracious and patient. I know my family forgives me but I don’t forgive myself. I then begin to wonder if I am worthy of God’s forgiveness.
I love your emails and books too. I have the Confident Heart. It is awesome. I tried to watch the video but it won’t play and says it is private.
It won’t let me watch video. It says it’s private.
Renee – Thank you for your encouragement this morning. It is just like God to bring your words at the perfect time. Later this morning I am meeting with a friend with whom I had already intended to share my doubts. Now I can also share your encouragement with her. God has placed a purpose of “leading women into their potential in Christ.” This has been simmering on my stove of doubts for far too long. It is time to assemble the right ingredients and go from a simmer to high heat. Thank you for being an instrument for the Holy Spirit!
Hi,
thank you so much for this encouragement. I can’t tell you just how much this resonated with me and where I’m at, in this moment in time. I’ve been so paralysed by self doubt and fear, feelings of uselessness… No matter how I read the scripture that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I struggle with it in my life.
Experiences from past situations constantly haunt me. I find myself always comparing myself to others, who are smarter, more beautiful and so much more confident at everything, motherhood, career, the lot! Even at home with family, I second guess myself. I’m so scared and fearful that I’ll mess up again or that I won’t be any good. I’ve found myself paralysed by fear and negativity.
I believe God is working in my life to help me to trust Him and actually believe His word and accept that His love for me extends to all areas of my life.
I was taken back by this encouragement and Gideon. His boldness to ask for a sign and God’s grace to give him not just one but two. My challenge is to take God at His word and believe His thoughts about me.
I am excited about this study. So many times I doubt myself and say I can’t do it or somebody can do a better at the job than me. I know that through this study, i will learn to trust God and be the confident woman He has called me be.. I love all of your posts because they are so encouraging and uplifting.
I had a terrible day yesterday. After 3 years of battling back pain, 2 surgeries, too many to count injections, and then losing my RN job that I loved…I was seeing a new neurosurgeon to try and figure out my source of pain. During the consult my weight was mentioned and boy did that trigger the negative thoughts to consume me. I felt worthless, a burden to my family, and most of all just dumb. I hated his comments. It made me feel like a failure. I think I am…I have failed at too many things lately. Talk about a huge trigger!!!
I think the AM/FM idea will really stick with me. When I feel like self doubt is bullying me, I need to make sure I am going with “for me” thoughts instead of “against me” ones. When our oldest daughter became really ill and we couldn’t get a diagnosis for almost a year, I had to replace Satan’s thoughts with the truth. I remember verbally telling Satan to go away because I wouldn’t waver from God even though it was such a long and hard time. When I did this, I heard God speak to me with advice, direction, and confidence. As hard of a time that it was, I would never go back. My oldest daughter says she wouldn’t ever change that time either. Through the rough stuff, came an incredible closeness with our Lord. He is changing and using us in wonderful ways. I agree that it is amazing what can happen when we match our thoughts with His!
Just this very morning, I was praying on my way to work asking God to remove the voices of doubt that float in my mind when I am asked to step out of my comfort zone! Whew! THANK YOU for sharing this with me today! The power of the Lord is beginning to boundlessly descend on me through your words of encouragement. Even though I know the scripture you used in today’s devo and have known it always, it seems, the way you worded it planted arrows in my heart to use against satan’s attacks. THANK YOU for not being afraid to follow what God told you to say and do! I pray many of us will be blessed today with the words God put on your heart.
Good Morning. I read your devotionals every day and day by day I see myself in many of them, especially today. I was the victim of sexual abuse at the age of 5 and since then, I have been living with low self-worth and self-esteem. It was not until I completely surrendered my heart to God that he showed me that I indeed an Fearfullt and wonderfully made. Thanks so much for what your minitry do for women all over the world.
http://www.newlife919.com/confident-heart/
TO WATCH VIDEO GO TO THE ABOVE
I could not see video, said private. I have always been able to get your stuff.
Is this the same book as before or has it been updated. I wanted to do it again since the first time I did not have time to do it right. I do have this problem always have. Started back with my dad and lives with us. I have gotten better but it still rears its head. Hope I can see other videos, miss this one.
Oh my goodness! Once again you have provided the most timely message!! Then as I scrolled through comments before leaving my own, I realized there’s another message here. I AM NOT ALONE! That’s the thing with doubt-it’s meant to separate us and make us and make us weak. That’s the pit I’ve fallen into. I like to make cards and paper crafts. Lately, with the help of many of the triggers, I am almost “suffocating” under the weight of self doubt. The life and “creative juices” are being vacuumed away. Thanks again for your southern charm and your timely messages.
Renee, I read your devotional on Encouragement for Today.
I was not able to view your YouTube video. It said “Private”. Hope that issue can be resolved.
Self-doubt and people pleasing have been an issues for me and I’m afraid I’ve passed it on to my daughter. She does not react well to criticism. She takes it very personally and you can see the self-doubt overtake her. She is one of the strongest women I have ever known, but she does not see herself in that light-God’s light. We both need a Confident Heart. Thank you for sharing what God has done in your life. I requested the 7-Day Doubt Diet!
Oh I so need this study I read the book a confident woman and it has helps me. I am working and at work there are many ladies that are bullies. I can’t believe how they do this. Well they have come to bully me And since I’m new it’s not hard to start to feel insecure. But I’m praying God gives me grace and I’m able to show his love as he gives me grace.
I so needed this message today. I couldn’t watch the video…the link said it was private, but would love to be entered into the drawing.
I read this book several months ago, and have reread a few more.
I recently chose to provide some medical relief in Zambia, Africa. No group just plain, simple me.
Boy oh boy did I have to deal with some serious doubt, professional, personal and especially spiritual. It was so bad- my new tablet didn’t make it from the plane to my hotel- from my carry on bag AND my new droproof, waterproof, dustproof camera got dropped while a kind person was taking picture!
I was just lying crying to God- see I told you I was the wrong one for this, and a thousand other things!! Then very quietly I heard, that I was wonderfully made and plans had been laid for me. So I recalled this book and used scripture as my prayer! Didn’t happen immediately, but gradually calm came! Every situation I encountered – I knew it wasn’t going to any worse than that night. I was so blessed to be able to experience that adventure and now ready for more!
Thank you for this devotional today. My self confidence is challenged every day! I feel like I was born with self doubt. When I got married, I thought my husband’s love boosted my confidence enough, but his harsh critisisms and negative comments made me feel even more inadequate and self conscious than before. I gained weight after our son was born and his “jabs” at me just fueled other areas…soon I felt useless, hopeless and had no self confidence to speak of. I’ve always had a relationship with God, but my husbands words were louder than Gods. It wasnt until his affair that I said enough is enough. Putting God FIRST and TRUSTING HIM, with my self confidence is what says no matter how hard they try to bring me down, my house is not built on shifting sand. Just last night, the dirty dishes and unfolded clothes I left the night before was enough to spark a small fire of inadequacy and my husband fueled it. All of a sudden, everything became fair game for critisim, the dog needed a bath, the kids shouldn’t have chips in their lunch, the dishes in the dishwasher weren’t put away, the kids weren’t listening, if I loved them, I would have their clothes folded, the dinner was cooking too fast?! I was a target with a hundred arrows shot right through the middle, BUT GOD! I repented for believing the lies and shook off those heavy bands, and remembered God’s promises.
Good morning Renee – God is GREAT! I needed this message this morning. It amazes me how things show up in your life just as you need them. I hope to read your book someday soon. I’ve been struggling with self doubt for weeks now, following an unexpected hysterectomy. I’ve been depressed and just so down on myself. I need something inspiring to get me back on the right path. Thank you for all that you do for everyone. You are truly an inspiration!
Couldn’t get the video to load, but often feel that ‘yukky’ feeling you describe when the enemy has his way. Thank you so much for the truths you share to help overcome those fears and doubt! I really appreciate the Proverbs 31 devotions and e-mails!
I have struggled with feeling inadequate with my husband’s family. They constantly belittle me, are negative, and judge me. I had fallen into their trap for years and even went to a very dark place. All that changed when I told myself to stop believing their lies and reassure myself that I am a good person. I do matter. I have tried to distance myself from them and pray when we get together.
I find that when my focus slips to what others think, instead of what God says–I am VERY unsure of myself. Especially in a confrontational situation, I can easily want to slink back, and just say what others want to hear instead of resting assured in the promises of God for me. I have found that in that situation, I have to take a time out (potty break always works–even in the midst of the worst situations) and just refocus on God and pray. No, I don’t claim to get instant answers, but the reconnecting always helps me to have a peace that I didn’t have before my break with God.
Super psyched about the upcoming Confident Heart study! 🙂
I struggle with feeling inadequate as a mom. I find myself comparing myself to other moms, which is dangerous because a) I feel yucky about myself that I can’t do/be like mothers I look up to and b)I fall into the pit of pride, thinking I’m not as “bad” as that mom. Its awful. The only person I need to compare myself to is me!!
This has been a problem of mine for my entire life – that little voice that invades every thought or idea, screaming “you are nothing, you will never be good enough, don’t even bother to try” Satan’s voice convinced me for years to give up and then sneered when I defied him and failed on my own. But learning to hear God’s voice is giving me the strength to endure. Through Him all things are possible, and it is very freeing to really know that I don’t have to rely on my strength, I can rely on His. Satan’s voice doesn’t stand a chance!
Go to New life 91.9 I think you can listen to the video there. http://www.newlife919.com/confident-heart/
Good Morning Renee! On my way to work this morning I had a conversation in which I doubted my abilities in my job. I recently moved into a position where I am now the one in charge and have to make the decisions – BIG JUMP FOR ME! Others have numerous times told me I am capable of this task, now I just have to place it at God’s feet and know that he will guide my steps. Thank you for this devotional and time of reflection on my professional life. I’m looking forward to what God has in store but at the same time extremely nervous!
I know I fail in keeping God in focus. I need this so much. My hope starts out in the Lord but when nothing seems to happen then in come the doubts. Help me Lord to hold on to you and be strong in you. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. I need more of you Lord. fill me with your thoughts and your word Lord. Take hold of me and keep your word in front of me. Lord by my strength for I am weak.
My post was to say I have 4 and half weeks of school to finish first clinical is tomorrow. ugh,I have read all your post and will pray I promise.
My mom has only been gone
three months in heaven and I have 4 and half weeks to go.
Taking care of my mom and having to watch her suffer, took my heart and crushed it to more self doubt then I ever had. We had trained nurses but they where so short staff I had to do a lot of the unknowns for my mom. And then she passed away my family was so wonderful to allow me to be with her till they end. When I got back I signed up for college and then the self doubt has made me have panic attaches and feeling so over whelmed. Its been 30 plus years since I have been in school I am taking CNA classes so I can learn how to make someone else mom safe and my secure.Reading about self doubt and how to over coming it,will be a process just like college I attend on finishing pass or fail finishing the class is my goal. Please pray for me and I also have a older son we are not sure why he is sick and doctor have no clue feeling outof sorts with this also. I know when I pray GOD says my child I have been waiting for you to guide you threw the right path.thank you all for praying.
Alice, be encouraged. God will never leave you or forsake you. I want to share this verse with you: Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in YOu. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal. Allow this passage to encourage you to focus your thoughts on the Almighty. Reaffirm your trust in Him today and experiecne the peace that this kind of trust brings. I will keep praying for you. Hold on to God’s promises my sister. Much Love!
What awesome encouragement from all of the previous posts about today’s devotional. This is just so timely, as I have order the book Confident Heart in early spring and have only started studying it a few weeks ago in preparation to launch out into a ministry Godhas called me into. As I step out to minister to abused women and at-risk children, I know that I need to be prepared to be able to share with them effectively. I have had doubts over this work I have been called to do since I didn’t think I have experienced abuse in a way that I can relate to these women. But Confident Heart has everything one could want to share with these women that I will come in contact with. I look forward to the sessions and I pray that God will do a might work of transformation in each and everyone of us that participates in this study. I love you all and wish you a good and godly day. Much love!
I grew up hearing I was stupid or worse, whenever I did something wrong or frustrated my father. I now replay those same messages, to myself, when I make a mistake. I hate it and try to replace those messages with positive thoughts of how God see’s me but it is hard. I hate it that those thoughts still come. Thank you for the reminder, in your devotional today, that I am somebody in God’s economy. God bless you!
Thanks, Renee for this devotional. I need to be reminded daily of my worth to God. I slip so easily into self doubt. God’s promises help me to live the confident life He has for me. I love Jeremiah 29:11. God has a plan for me. He promises to give me a future and a hope.
Love this devotional but the video says “This video is private”. I am looking forward to this next OBS-it will be my first as a fb Small Group Leader and I have been focusing on staying in the word so thoughts of self doubt do not cause me to doubt my abilities to lead. I know in and of myself I am NOT equiped to do this but God equips those HE calls–I know I have a wonderful Proverbs 31 OBS team to guide me! I’ll check back later to see if the video becomes available 🙂
God Bless you today and always!
AMAZING, just amazing. God uses P31 to send just the message I need. I have said, “Yes” to God with a big committment to a ministry. Now a few weeks after saying, Yes, I can feel the devil nudging me with small whispers of doubt as to how well I will fulfill this exciting role. Thank you for your committment to bring God’s promises through His Word into our lives. Just the encouragement I need and the determination to listen only to God and to sluff off the evil one.
I read the devotional but your video says that it’s private, so it won’t let me view it. I am a woman who lets what I think about myself invade my thoughts, instead of what God thinks about me. During the Yes to God OBS, I said yes to God in starting to let what HE thinks about me, overpower what I think about me. So going from the Yes to God OBS to the Confident Heart OBS is going to be wonderful for me. I am very excited about it! 🙂
Thank you for the reminders. I know God is more than enough and I am who He made me to be, but “life” can make me think otherwise sometimes. It’s great to be reminded of these important truths!
I was sitting here drinking coffee and trying to post pone starting my graduate work a little while. It’s had not to play the comparison game when you’re infertile and 6 babies have been born in your group lately – why am I having to do grad school work when they get to be a stressed out mama with a little one? It’s hard walking the different path.
Just need to hang onto God right now a little bit tighter and discard my soundtrack for his.
Couldn’t see the video because it says it is PRIVATE – hope to see it soon though.
Tracey, how difficult for you. Hopefully, you will have your own little one “in God’s time”…I will pray for you as I am praying for my daughter-in-law, who has been trying to conceive for over a year now. While my other daughter-in-law announces she is pregnant with her second…
I am who I am…..and sometimes that doesn’t feel like enough. Sometimes I wish I were more patient, more corageous, bold, more of a go getter, and the list goes on and on……
What’s awesome about Gideon’s story is that, he knew where he came from, he didn’t feel “good enough” either, and yet God chose him to make something big happen. So, why not me, right? God will do great things through me. He is gonna use me to win battles and even though I don’t feel equipped or even ready, God sees me for me and that’s good enough for me. Getting ready for the adventures that are called LIFE.
Amen and amen!! Prayign Jer. 2911:14 for you tonight Norma 🙂
I never want my doubts to hold me back from accomplishing God’s will for me! He is strong when I am weak. You have reminded me how important it is to focus on how GOD sees me, more that how I see me. He sees my potential, His creation, His plan…I see my fears and failures, my doubts, my insecurities. My prayer for everyone reading your message today, is that we would all see ourselves through His eyes.
Amen, praying with you and for you Karen!
When my family tells me I am. There is nothing more able to make me feel self doubt then when the ones I love heap it on me. Bummer!!
Liz, I just want to encourage you today that we are NOT to live for the approval of men, but for God. HE is your judge, not your family. I grew up always being criticized and judged for things I did-even as a kid. Kids are supposed to make mistakes, but after a while you just start thinking that you are an overall terrible person. This has continued into my adult life, where I still struggle with condemning attitudes of the people that are supposed to love me unconditionally no matter what. There is NO CONDEMNATION in Christ. We need to start countering those negative thoughts with the TRUTH of God’s Word, and who HE says we are. It doesn’t matter what they think. I did this study this past spring with Renee and it was so helpful, and I pray it would help you too! Blessings.
Liz, I am so sorry for what you are surrounded by. That is very hard. I have been in very toxic environments and it takes a lot of endurance to walk away, not listen or not let their opinions have the power to defeat us.
I would LOVE for you to read the book with us in the P31 Online Study. I think it would really help you hear God’s voice and encouragement and confidence in you – over all the other’s criticism. And it would give you the courage to set boundaries for your heart and thoughts – and help you see that when others are critical in a habitual way, it’s not a reflection of your brokenness but theirs.
Here’s a link to find out more about the study: http://proverbs31.org/online-bible-studies/
Praying you’ll join us!
I’m very good at giving the appearance of great confidence. I might even be good at it but, no one else here’s the voice in my head saying all the negative things. The voice that gets me distracted from doing what I know I should. I just finished the When Women Say Yes OBS & I admit I wasn’t ready to leave my FB group behind. They are all so awesome. So, I signed up for this study. I got so very much out of the last I knew this would be good too. But after reading today’s blog I KNOW it’s what I need. Thank you. I’m looking forward to our study.
Stela, Im so glad you are going to be part of the next study of A Confident Heart. It’s a great next step after saying “Yes to God” 🙂 And I love that you love your FB group. Community isn’t such an important part of our faith journey!
Thanks Renee. I’m excited to start & to continue to grow.
I read your devotional on P31 but the video wouldn’t load.. For me self-doubt comes when I feel like I’ve failed as a mother or wife. Not being able to keep my home in order makes me feel less confident in my abilities to help others outside of my home.
I couldn’t see the video either. It say it’s private.
Same here – couldn’t see the video 🙁
I couldn’t view the video either.
I couldn’t see the video either.
I can’t see the video either, message “it’s private” is poping up
yep me neither says it is private for me too 🙂
Go to this link…it was shared and worked for me 🙂 http://www.newlife919.com/confident-heart/
I agree with Rebecca that my self-doubts come from feeling like I have failed as a mother/wife. Being in an unequally yoked marriage (but a very strong marriage to a wonderful man), I haven’t felt like I could put God first in our home and with how we raised our children. My children are grown and are wonderful people, but I wish they were closer to God. I now see how I was fooled by Satan, and did not express fully my relationship with God to my family because of his lies to me. After finishing the last OBS on saying Yes to God, I am slowly breaking those old habits of keeping God to myself and looking for those moments to share Him very matter-of-factly; not in-your-face judgmental, but more look-at-how-God-is-working-in-my-life moments. I feel a weight coming off of me and I think my family had been searching for this as well as I see very small changes, but yet positive changes. God forgive me for wasting all those years in moments in what I thought was the right way. I’m praising You for the changes that are coming and for Your whispers in my ears — not Satan’s.
(I also could not access the video…)
Your response could have been written by me! I spent most of my life feeling “less than.” A truly godly marriage should build us each up, but a couple who are unequally yoke creates a lot of destruction. I lived most of my life feeling like I was walking on eggshells, if you know what I mean. Yet God in his great mercy is setting me free and He is working on my husband also. I did the best I knew how to do with my children. Now I have to entrust them to the God who loves them even more than I do.
I can tell you love God, but like me, you lacked the confidence you need to live your life “out loud” for God. Isn’t it wonderful that God doesn’t see us as failures, but when He looks at you, He sees Jesus in you.
I’m praying you grow stronger every day! Blessings my dear sister.
Thank you Renee Swope for your book, A Confident Heart and for your blog. I love P31 Ministries.
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Barbara. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that we’re not alone in the struggle. I’m holding fast to what I learned in the last study and am trying to say Yes to God even in the smallest of details, and am already seeing victories. Will be praying for you as well, that we hold onto His strength as we move forward. Thanks for reaching out to me.
So so sorry we had troubles with the video. I fixed it earlier today and it should be accessible now 🙂
Thanks you for grace and for stopping by. Praying God blesses you big through His message today!
If you click on the lesson title within the email, it will take you to the website where you can then view the video.
Good morning Renee, I love when God sends people at just the right time. I have been struggling so hard with feeling useless and worthless. After reading your daily encouragement it made me realize that I stand in marvel of God’s creations all the time. I admire the beauty of all things God created. You made me realize that I am one of those creations and God does not create flawed things. This is going to help me every time anything makes me feel less than. Thank you for delivering God’s message to me this morning.