Faith and Confidence

We're all blessed with certain talents and abilities, things that we're naturally good at. For some of us, it may be singing; for others, math; for others, writing; for still others, being a homemaker; or perhaps business or something else is your natural forte. I know a lot of Christians believe that God has equipped them with the natural abilities to do what He has called them to do and, to a certain extent, I believe this is true for a number of people. It should still be God getting the glory because it is God Who gave the talent.

But then there are those like Moses. Moses was called to lead the people out of Egypt. Moses was good at hearing God and turning to Him first, but these attributes seemed to develop later, once he had confronted Pharaoh. Moses was scared when God first approached him. He objected that he was a nobody, that they wouldn't believe God had sent him, that he had only words and not signs to show them, and that he was not eloquent. God responded to each of these (respectively) that He would be with Moses, with a name they would respect, with two signs to show them, and by promising He would direct his speech. Moses, who was looking at a burning bush that was not consumed at the time (proving that it was from God), still asked for God to send him a helper.

Moses has so little confidence in himself at this point. When you think about his situation, it makes sense. He was a shepherd and, though he had been in the Pharaoh's house, he was an outlaw in Egypt who would be killed if caught. He may well have been a clumsy speaker and, should he have tried to free Israel on his own, he would have failed quickly and been killed.

The point, though, is that God told Moses to do this. God said He would be with Moses. God gave him the name and signs Moses asked for. Had Moses had more faith in God than in his own worthlessness, he wouldn't have needed to ask for anything. Our fears paralyze us. We tell ourselves we can't do it and, even when someone else says, "With God, all things are possible," or "Greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world," we dismiss it. Effectively, we're saying we're so bad that even the Creator of the universe isn't powerful enough to help us. Where is our faith? What God has called us to do, He will give us the strength to do or, as St. Augustine once said, "Command as you will, and give as you command." God always gives us enough to do what He wants us to do.

I struggled for years with a lack of self-confidence. It is a crippling disease of the mind. Not only does it make you not believe you can win, it makes you not even want to fight just because you're so certain you'll lose. When you have no confidence in yourself, though, you're also saying you have no faith in God. God is more powerful than you, your enemy, or the entire world can ever be. If He calls you to sing, sing with the faith that His will will be done through it. If He calls you to write, write with the faith that the words He gives you will touch someone. If He calls you to simply be a parent, then raise your kids up to know Him.

Everyone knows who Billy Graham was. Christian or not, most people respected him for his strong faith. He touched so many people's lives. Yet the name of the man who led him to Christ is not nearly so well known. And that may be your role: to touch the life of the next Billy Graham, or the life of the person that touches him. There is no small calling with God. Every calling will serve to bring others into the Kingdom and give God glory. There is no such thing as a worthless person with God. Every one of you was worth His Son's life to save. If God has called you to do something, you will accomplish it, even if you have absolutely no abilities on your own. And if you do have abilities, you can watch as God magnifies them and blesses people through you.

Have faith in God, and lose your fears.