Where does confidence come from?
There are so many voices in this world that tell us in so many ways we don't belong. We are not good enough. We haven't the right credentials. Even to the crazy, hurtfulness of not looking the part to satisfy someone else's idea of what they think the requirements are. The color of our skin, hair or eyes. The language we speak. The location of our birth. Our parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents. Any and everything can be uses to bring about rejection and a deep-rooted fear of abandonment.
And we know that the fear of something can often be more crippling and real than the thing we are fearful of.
If we can be really honest with ourselves, we know our own failings so well. We know how our own thoughts and actions betray the truth about ourselves. We are all aware of our secret shames (least I am very aware of mine).
So, with knowing these about myself, I totally understand that it doesn't come from me and never could. And if we understand that this is a universal truth about all mankind, it has to come from somewhere outside of ourselves.
I believe that to a small extent that it can come from all sorts of places, family, friends, education. But to find true confidence we need to receive it from its source, Papa (God).
As children of God, we receive so many gifts from Him. One of the main gifts is we are adopted into His family. With adoption comes the rights of being a child of God's. It means I have full and complete access to Him. Anytime. Anywhere. There is no one in heaven or earth that can keep me away from His presence. I can march into His throne room, crawl up onto His lap and garner all of His attention.
Have you ever held a small child in your arms while talking with someone and they take both their hands and place them on either side of your face and turn your head so that you look directly into their eyes? This is how we get to approach Papa (God most high).
Hebrews 4:16 talks about how we can with confidence, boldly approaching the Throne of Grace.
Have you ever watched a small child enter a room full of adults that are all busy adulting? As they burst into the room, they look around to find that one person they are looking for. That one-person they know is delighted to see them. That one-person who will stop everything and bend down to scoop them up and focus totally on them with great delight, joy, love and sincerity. The one-person that nothing else in the world matters more than listening to this small child and loving her/him with their whole heart.
This is acceptance. This is adoption. This is love. It is this love of God that teaches us we are valued, loved, important, vital and listened to.
This is where confidence comes from. It resides in the deep-seated knowledge of this love and acceptance that we belong. That we are loved. Just as we are. It is out of this space that our confidence resides and grows. It is here that we find the strength to boldly carry out the calling that God has placed on our lives.
It is not our work but Papas. it is not our love but Papas. Our only requirement is to receive Him into our lives. To open our hearts to his great adoption and love.