Pastor’s Corner: “Where is Your Confidence?”
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) – Faith in Action – Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Christ-followers contract COVID-19, bury children, and battle addictions. And, as a result, we face fears. It’s not the absence of storms that sets us apart. It’s whom we discover in the storm— an unstirred Christ. Matthew 8:24 says, “Jesus was sleeping.” Now there’s a scene. The disciples scream, yet Jesus dreams. “Do you not care that we are perishing?” Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness. It unleashes a swarm of anger-stirring doubts. Fear creates a form of spiritual amnesia. It makes us forget what Jesus has done and how good God is. Jesus takes our fears seriously. Don’t be afraid. Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV) – I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
The word confidence is used 60 times in the NIV Bible. The majority of uses concern trust in people, circumstances, or God. The Bible says there are some things we should not have confidence in. For example, “Have no confidence in the flesh”(Philippians 3:3). Paul wrote these words to counter the claims of those who thought they were acceptable to God based on their heredity, training, or religious devotion. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), and our résumés and genealogies don’t matter much to Him. If we’re going to be confident in something, Psalm 118:8–9 tells us what it should be: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” Those who trust in government, finances, other people, or themselves will be disappointed in the end.On the other hand, those who put their confidence in God will never be ashamed (Romans 10:11).
Our confidence comes from our relationship with Christ. He is our High Priest, and through His intercession, we can “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The apostles before the Sanhedrin displayed an assurance that amazed their antagonists: “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV) – I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. The hardest thing to do in a season of waiting is to believe that we will see God’s goodness. How can we trust God when our vision is screaming: “I don’t see anything! I’ve been hoping, praying, and seeking, but I still don’t see anything, Lord.” As an army pursues and encamps around David, he finds comfort in the unseen––in the spiritual work God is doing (Psalm 27:3). This is work that can’t be seen with natural eyes, but only with eyes of faith. Is there a circumstance waging war against you? We may not be facing literal armies like David, but as we wait for God’s deliverance, we can too share his confidence. Choosing to see life’s war zones through the lens of God’s strength, goodness, and faithfulness requires courage. When waiting is tough, this courage can be found in God’s word as we hold fast to His promises. So hang on, be strong and let your heart take courage. View your battle with eyes of faith, and wait with confidence in the Lord. Things are not what they seem.
God bless you, may the Lord fill you with courage and strength!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton and Family