Are you catching on yet? True confidence is not man made. It's gifted by the Father. And it's been who we are called to be all along. Let's recap shall we.
1.Difference does not mean defect.
2.Confidence comes from the Creator.
Now, we've realized our differences can be used to glorify God, and we now know that our identity in Christ is given for a Soul Purpose. But, like me, when I started catching confidence, my next battle was.... my mistakes, my bad situations, and my ugly past. Oof.
It was a great feeling to know that all the things I used to think made me weird and unattractive were actually things that made me unique and beautiful. BUT I couldn't get past the fact that I had messed up SO much. How in the world could I be confident in who I was created to be when I had made such a MESS? How was I supposed to tell the world about the confidence God had given me when I had done so much WRONG? I was terrified I would be labeled a hypocrite or not be good enough for the path that I thought was being laid out for me. I thought the love of my life would change his mind about me if he truly knew how dirty I was.
Thank goodness we have a God that can make beauty from ashes. Only He can take our mistakes, flaws, and situations and turn them into something beautiful. Before I met Jesus, I always thought my allergies were just a giant inconvenience and just a mess. Now, God uses that to show His faithfulness. In high school, I chipped away at myself to fit in and thought I had totally ruined my future in Christ because of the things I had done. God took that and used it to build my platform. The tears I had cried because of my mistakes are a testimony to His faithfulness and sovereignty.
Don't let your past define your future. God wants to take hold of your future and give you the life that He has had planned all along. Only WE can stand in the way of that. I wouldn't forgive myself for a very long time. And one day I realized, I was already forgiven. That forgiveness turned my weaknesses into strengths, and those strengths are my testimony. My testimony is the most powerful thing I can share. It's a story of finding True Confidence. If I had let my mistakes keep me in my past, then I never would have seen what God could do with my pain. My confidence would still be rooted in the acceptance of others instead of the trust of the Lord.
He can turn your graves into gardens too. (pulled this from graves into gardens by elevation worship! hehe if you haven't heard it go give it a listen) All you have to do is humble yourself before Jesus and pour your heart out in repentance to Him. His forgiveness fosters a faith that will lead you down a path you never knew you'd find. You can find confidence in your mess with Christ.
This week I encourage you to sit down and deal with your messes and mistakes. Take them to Jesus and allow Him to be sovereign over the imperfections in your life. Find confidence in His sovereignty. The confidence you gain from placing your trust in Him will lead to your Soul Purpose.
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