A Confidence Like No Other

Yesterday, my daughter was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework for cheer as I was getting dinner ready. Her squad had been talking about respect and confidence all week, and she was filling out a questionnaire to turn in.

She read the first question out loud…

“Name one of the most confident people you know.â€

I thought for sure she’d write Miley Cyrus, or one of the Jonas Brothers, or maybe one of her own friends.

But instead she wrote…

“Mom.â€

When I saw her answer, I was surprised.

Because, as a people pleaser and a perfectionist, I wouldn’t say I’ve always been the most confident person. Though most people who knew me in high school and college probably thought I was very outgoing and sure of myself, a lot of the time on the inside, that’s not how I felt.

To see my daughter’s answer made me grateful.

And that’s where God comes in.

Because the confidence I have now doesn’t come from me. It comes from Him.

It was back in college that my confidence wavered the most. My feelings of insecurity and trying to be perfect culminated in a struggle with food and my self-image. It was also in college, after years of struggling, that I turned to God and began to learn more about His awesome love and the gift of His Son.

And that changed my perspective about myself.

Knowing how much He loves every single person, and knowing that His love is unconditional, helped me to love and appreciate myself more. From the day I became a mom, I’ve prayed that I can model that love and acceptance to hopefully help my kids feel the same way about themselves.

Which is why my daughter’s answer to the second part of that question on her homework made me smile again. When asked, “What do you think gives that person confidence?†she wrote…

“Liking herself because she knows God created her exactly how she is.â€

If you’re feeling less than confident today–if you doubt your abilities and qualities–take a minute to remember God made you who you are for a purpose. And take a minute to soak in this verse…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.†Philippians 4:13

Does that mean you’ll never feel insecure?

Of course not. I still go through periods of doubting myself and questioning my abilities, depending on what I’m facing. I think we all do.

But the verse does mean that when that happens, you can turn to the unshakeable foundation of God’s love for strength and confidence.

And that’s a confidence that can really make a difference.

That’s a confidence like no other.