Proud Confidence



Do you ever feel your self-confidence is put to the test?  Maybe it's time to examine where we have placed our confidence.

Scripture

For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.
(2 Corinthians 1:12 NASB)

Observation

Paul's confidence was not in himself, but rather in God. His wholehearted belief was that God was leading him into a life of holiness and sincerity. Interestingly he mentions that he is not led by fleshly wisdom, but rather by the grace of God. For Paul this is significant for he was a highly educated man. He knew multiple languages and had studied under some of the best teachers of his day. This was a man who could have easily boasted in his education and his knowledge and yet, here he acknowledges that he is not being led by human or fleshly wisdom, but rather, trusting in God. The result is that Paul's daily life becomes a testimony to holiness and godly sincerity. It is not necessarily about the words that he speaks, but it is the way that he humbles himself in service to God and others on a daily basis.

Application

There are times in life when we may feel pretty battered by the world and our self-confidence can take a beating. However, it is in the midst of these moments that we hear the gentle voice of the Lord reminding us, just like Paul, that our confidence is not to be in our own human strength, but rather in Him alone. It is my confidence in God which must flow through my life on a daily basis. When we place our trust in Him, then our lives can become a testimony to God's nature which begins to flow through us. God's very nature is holy love and the result is a life of holiness and sincerity. All falsehoods, all the masks, they can drop away because we become real in Him. No longer do I have to be worried or concerned about what the world around me thinks, but rather all of my trust is in God who reaches out to me with His grace, transforming me into His image. My proud confidence is not in myself, but in Him!

Prayer

Lord, as the issues of daily life come my way this day, may my confidence be in You. Amen.

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