Confidence - 1

In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength. Isaiah 30:15

Confidence or a lack of confidence will affect every area of one's life.  It can make or break a deal, a job opportunity or more importantly, be the thing that determines whether or not you succeed in life. The important thing though is the foundation of our confidence; whether it is our own ability or in Jesus, and the ability He gives us to do the job, and being confident that His desire is to see us succeed. 

As we have lived in different nations and I have observed cultural differences it has been interesting to see that some cultures are just better at instilling confidence in their children than others other. Be that as it may, as Christians we have our own culture but it is definitely one to be learned.

I have noticed that the trend in the workplace these days is to "talk yourself up"; make the prospective employer think that you are the best thing since sliced bread! Your performance at the interview is likely to get you the job (or not).  Some Christians even think they have to do that, but the apostle Paul is our great example of one who, although greatly qualified by birth, education and zeal for God, said that he put no confidence in all that (Philippians 3). It is not about where we come from and how much we know,  it is about knowing that "in my flesh there is really nothing good" (Rom:7:18) so I shouldn't be surprised when I make mistakes and disappoint myself. 

Our confidence should rest alone in the truth that through faith in Jesus Christ the righteousness of God is ours (2 Cor 5:21). The Mirror Bible puts it this way "He took our sorrows, our pain, our shame to his grave and birthed his righteousness in us.  He took our sins and we became his innocence."  That is surely worth a second thought.

Today will you choose to be at peace, resting in the confidence that the work is done?  Jesus did it!  You don't have to perform or measure up, Jesus finished all that.  Just relax, let your anxieties go and thank Him that His plans are good, to give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).  Enjoy your acceptance in the Beloved (Ephes 1:6).

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great plan of salvation.  That you freed us from the slavery of performing to 'get it right'.  Thank you that I am accepted because of Jesus' work and not my own. Help me to think on that and rest confidently in that from this day forward.  Amen

Believe

Lord I believe, help my unbelief!  Mark 9:24

I found it interesting as I looked back at this Daydrops which I had written last year but not yet published, because it is a follow on theme from the one I wrote New Year's Eve and posted on New Year's Day.  It seems that the Holy Spirit really wants us to get the 'believe message'.

In a devotional I use I read these words, "God's deepest longing is to be believed, regardless of emotion or circumstance".   As I meditated on that I imagined what great sadness it would be for a loving father to make a promise to his son only for his son to say, "I'll believe it when I see it."  There could be good reason for such a response if the son was used to his father breaking his promises, or if it sounded too good to be true, but a good earthly father certainly desires to give his kids the best that is in his ability to do so.

How grieved God was when time and time again he 'came through' for His people in their wilderness wanderings yet when faced with a new challenge they became anxious and complaining instead of fearless and believing.  Moses certainly got fed up with them and angrily struck the rock he'd been told just to speak to (Numbers 20).  He represented God to the people and allowed his emotions to make a response that misrepresented God and so he lost privilege of entering the promised land.  (God did allow him to see it from a distance though. Numbers 27:12-13)

The father of the child in Mark 9 had brought his son to Jesus for deliverance.  He said "If you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus' response was, "...all things are possible to him who believes."  The man's response was honest, he says, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief."   God knows our weakness of faith and He is willing to help us to believe His promises. I have prayed that prayer a number of times. 

There is any number of books on positive thinking and how it can 'make things happen' that completely leave God out of the equation.  The power of our mind is  incredible because God has made us that way.  As believers' we have an amazing privilege of  relationship with God and a written record of his past miracles as a basis for our faith yet, like the Israelites in the desert, we still find it difficult to believe his promises to us.  How sad that must be for our heavenly Father.

David knew how to build his faith, he said, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps 27:14  In the verse before this he states, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  David knew that his faith came from his relationship with God. 

We cannot manufacture faith, it is something that grows with the knowledge of God.  Romans 10:17 is the key; Faith comes by hearing the word of God. If we feed our spirit on God's word our faith in Him will grow.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father,  please help me to have a hunger for your word that will expand my faith in you this year.  Amen

Good Plans

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

It is always exciting to stand on the edge of a new year as we do right now, and wonder what it may hold for us.  As we reflect on the year past we can do so with feelings of regret at resolutions not reached,  sadness for loss, thankfulness for reprieve, protection, strength for tasks done, joys for new friendships made, new places visited and 'missions' completed.

This verse in Jeremiah is my all time favourite because it reassures me afresh of my God's truth;  that He thinks about me, and not only that, but He thinks about me in a positive way.  Also that He has good plans for me to bring me peace.  As I write, the words of the psalmist, so well known and often spoken, yet often glossed over without real thought, come to mind.  Surely, (without doubt), goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life...Psalm 23:6.

Do circumstances of life sometimes cause you to doubt that God has good plans for you?  Do you live with regrets of past mistakes or wrong choices?  Has calamity struck, health failed, grief and disappointments come?  Yes, they do.  Stuff happens, but it never ever changes God's plans of peace for us.  It never changes His plans to prosper us.  If you need an example just look again at Job.  He suffered more loss than any of us would want to think about, yet I believe his continued trust in God's goodness caused him to to be doubly blessed in his latter days.  In the King James Version of this verse it says that God's plans are to prosper us.  Believe it.

The God who says, 'Behold I make all things new.' (Rev 21:5) has been doing new things and good things throughout history.  He is our Creator and His creative nature is to do new things.  He doesn't look back at our past, He is looking to do a new thing with us.  He says, 'do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold I will do a new thing.' (Isaiah 43:18-19).  Are you ready to see it and cooperate in His plan?

This is a new year, renew your mind with God's truth: His thoughts toward you are of peace, not punishment and recrimination.  He remembers your sins no more (Jer 31:34).  His plans and purposes are for good, not evil, to prosper you, not to harm you.  The psalmist has a key for us.  He says 'I would have lost heart unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of The Lord in the land of the living,' (Ps 27:13), and again 'my heart trusted in Him and I am helped' (Ps 28:7). 

Prayer:  Loving and Creator God, help me to believe and trust in your goodness this coming year. May I delight you with a childlike trust that truly believes you have good plans for me, even more than an earthly father has for his children. Amen