Clinging to Confidence - Martin Wiles

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Hebrews 10:35 NLT

My confidence in people and things hangs in a precarious balance. Sometimes it is well-placed, but at others it isn’t. 

I have a good friend who I can place complete confidence in. I’ve shared many private matters with him, and he has held them in strict confidence. When I asked his wife, “Did ______ tell you about _____?” the answer was always, “No.” 

But then there were those times when my confidence was crushed. Vehicles that for years had cranked each time I turned the switch suddenly didn’t. The battery died or the starter wore out. Chairs I’ve sat in for months on end suddenly cracked and crashed. 
Children I thought would never hurt me did. The job I thought would never end did. The parent I thought would live forever dies. And so does my beloved animal. Retirement savings that seemed secure weren’t. Stocks that appeared stable became unstable. 

I’ve learned to be careful about what I place my confidence in and how tightly I cling to it. Many early Christians came from a Jewish background. Thousands of years of observing ceremonies, making sacrifices, and obeying cumbersome customary laws. The temptation was to place their confidence in those things to gain God’s acceptance rather than believe in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Banking on anything else only led them to disappointment.

Thankfully, there are some things I can cling to with confidence. One is forgiveness. When I confess my sins to Christ and ask for his forgiveness, forgiveness happens: instantly and permanently. Never again will those sins be charged to my account. Condemnation flies out the window and peace takes over. 

Another is Christ’s coming. Whether at death or in the skies, he will arrive and usher his people into a glorious eternal existence called heaven. 

Still another is strength for my life’s journey. Whatever I need to live and accomplish God’s will, he will provide in abundance. 

My confidence in God’s promises will never be misplaced. What are you placing your confidence in? 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that Your promises are sure and steadfast. 

Encouraging Tweet: Whatever I need to live and accomplish God’s will, he will provide in abundance.
 

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