Confident

Confident means “self-assured” and positive.  People who are confident are often accused of being arrogant. There is a line that is quite different between these two. Arrogance is an exaggeration of one’s own value or ability. Confidence has a subtle humility mixed in. Arrogance and humility don’t intersect.

I am reading in the Psalms this morning and I hear David’s confidence, but I didn’t hear arrogance.  Check this out….

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
    so why should I tremble?
² When evil people come to devour me,
    when my enemies and foes attack me,
    they will stumble and fall.
³ Though a mighty army surrounds me,
    my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
    I will remain confident.

⁴ The one thing I ask of the Lord—
    the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    delighting in the Lord’s perfections
    and meditating in his Temple. (Psalm 27:1-4 NLT)

I feel like confidence pushes fear to the side and moves forward. I feel like David has such confidence in the Lord’s Presence that he is not afraid. He is confident and brave because of the Lord’s Presence. In the face of harm or destruction, He is confident and brave.

I think this is a good reminder for me to keep the most important thing clear. The most important thing for me to do with my life is to pursue the Lord. I don’t need to be afraid and worried about what other can do or not do. I don’t need to be afraid or worried about what others have that I don’t have.

It is so easy to get caught up in the “comparison game” and want what others have. I’m working hard at contentment and rest in the Presence of the Lord rather than trying to get more stuff and more things.  I want the one thing that David wanted – I want to live in the Presence of the Lord all the days of my life. I don’t think it’s a place per se. I think the Lord wants to dwell in my heart as I dwell in His Presence. The noise of life here on earth can certainly distract from the quietness and calmness of His Presence.

His Presence in me gives me confident to stare fear in the face.

His Presence in me gives me confidence that I would not have otherwise.

My confidence comes from The Word of God and The Presence of God in me.

Pressing On!

Dwayne