At times, we come across individuals who exude self-assurance. They seem to navigate life easily, projecting confidence and a positive self-image, leaving us wondering how they manage to do it because we want to know how to build our confidence.
Confidence refers to a feeling of trust in one’s capabilities or the abilities of others. Most of us believe that we must rely on ourselves to succeed. We understand the need to overcome our fears and be confident in our skills and abilities, but often, we struggle to figure out how to build our confidence.
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Whenever we do something that we have done repeatedly, we gain a certain amount of confidence and feel more assured in our ability. Whenever we start something new, we have courage and a willingness to try, nothing else. The opposite occurs when we are doing something for the first time and unsure what to do or how to do it. When doing something for the first time, we feel shaky and uncertain, so how can we be confident? These three steps are precisely how to build up our confidence. We need to complete these three steps and complete them often.
- Resist negative thoughts and fear.
- Pray and have faith in God.
- Praise God for helping.
Build Confidence By Resisting Negative Thoughts and Fear
When I was completing my degree, the enemy attacked my confidence. I believe the enemy always tries to flood our minds with negative thoughts. When I was completing the last step of finishing my degree, I began to question whether I could write a dissertation, and fear grabbed me. “What if I couldn’t do it?” “What if I failed?” The enemy was working overtime, and my doubt increased every time I had my paper sent back to me with more corrections (which is just part of the process). Whenever the enemy attacks, we need to have a plan of defense. We should build confidence by resisting negative thoughts and fears and mustering the courage to try.
The best way to resist the negative thoughts of the enemy is by using God’s word to negate the enemy’s thoughts. For example, when the enemy causes you to doubt your ability, stand on the Word of God that says, “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.” If the enemy tells you that you are not strong enough or the battle is too difficult, stand on the word that says, “Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the World” and “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” Speaking and reading positive scriptures help build our confidence and will help us resist negative thoughts and fear. We can say these scriptures aloud to the enemy to help remove negative thoughts and replace them with the positive message that God wants us to hear.
Build Confidence By Praying and Having Faith in God
Prayer is our secret weapon, and we must remember to pray about everything. We should pray if we are starting something new or want to do something better. We must ask God to help us in every area of life. No matter how able we think we are, God stands ready to help us be even better. Imagine the kind of parent we could be with God’s help. We could be better parents, students, athletes, and even better Christians if we ask. We build confidence by praying and having faith in God. Each time we trust God, we gain more confidence in His ability and faithfulness.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us
1 John 5:14 ESV
We must believe that God hears us and will answer our prayers when we pray. By praying, we demonstrate to God that we have faith in Him, not ourselves. God wants us to have trust and confidence to know that nothing is too hard for Him. While the world tells us that we must be self-confident, God wants Christians to demonstrate confidence in Him, which is faith. Faith is fundamental to God.
If we believe that we can accomplish something on our own, we won’t pray. Feeling that we do not need to pray is wrong, leading to pride and arrogance. God has clarified that He wants us to be humble and not prideful. When we realize that God is in control and that we may not do well without Him, we will humbly bow our heads in prayer.
Build Confidence By Praising God
After following the Bible’s steps to resist negative thoughts and fear and praying, the remaining step is to praise God. We praise God because we are confident in His ability. We praise Him for hearing our prayer and answering us in a way that He sees fit in His all-knowing and loving way. God wants us to be confident in His power and ability. We should strive to have God-confidence, superior to any self-confidence we can try to muster.
A Prayer For Starting Something New With Confidence
As we look ahead, I am sure many of us have goals and dreams we want to accomplish. Perhaps you want to start a new job or career, kick a bad habit, start a weight loss program, or return to school. It takes courage to take a step and try something new. The enemy will send fear and convince us we are not enough. The enemy wants us to believe we are not intelligent, wealthy, or young enough. Whatever lies the enemy throws our way, we must stand firm and dare to try. Next, we must pray.
Prayer is effective against the enemy, so he will attempt to convince us not to pray. The enemy wants us to rely on our limited strength rather than the unlimited potential of God. The enemy will make prayer seem too hard. Do not believe the enemy’s lies. As you read the prayer below, say it aloud or to yourself from your heart. Let these words become yours, but always feel free to add your own. Just remember to pray from your heart. Be blessed!
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