Did you ever have a person tell you something and you were unable to determine if they were teasing, joking, or stating a fact? When I was a small boy, my dad would tease me by telling me something silly. One thing he said was that my brains were in my feet. As a six year old, I had no idea my dad was telling me something untrue. I had confidence in him. I even went to school, being in first grade and argued that my brains were in my feet. My dad said so! I soon found that my confidence was misplaced. I learned my lesson; my dad enjoyed teasing people. That certainly made my childhood interesting and fun.
Confidence is a good trait for individuals. The problem comes when we place our trust in someone or something not reliable. Confidence in the Lord is never wrong. If God says He will do something, you can be sure He will. If He tells us about ourselves, our family life, our church, our world, or of the conflicts within each, you can trust what He says. When He speaks of the forgiveness of sin, freedom from condemnation, joy in the midst of trials, and of peace that this world cannot experience apart from Him, you can believe Him.
Confidence has much value in our lives. When it is in the right place or person, the worth is beyond compare. The Bible gives many statements about confidence or persuasion. Some demonstrate misplaced confidences while others show properly placed faith in the Lord and His working. I will list a few examples of the right object of confidence. I encourage you to read and study them:
• Philippians 1:6
• 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8
• 1 John 2:28
• 1 John 3:21
• Romans 8:38
• 2 Timothy 1:12
There are others to add but this is a good start. We all have confidence in something or someone. Your confidence, faith, trust, or belief in Lord and His Word is never misplaced.
Monte Leavell 