How to Regain Your Confidence by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

On Sunday, the Lord woke me up to the Bethel worship song “You are My Champion.” There’s a line in this song that says, “You crown me with confidence,” a powerful promise that we can claim in Scripture.

But after weeks of social distancing, and now close to a week into our stay-at-home order because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, maybe our confidence is waning. Perhaps anxiety and situational depression are attempting to creep in.

So how do we regain our confidence?

How do we once again stand on solid ground emotionally?

This weekend, we cleaned out our attic, and in one of the boxes, I came across a large manila envelope containing some letters and cards I had saved from family members and friends over time. There was one very special letter from my grandmother who passed away almost fifteen years ago—a treasure. Re-reading all of the correspondence was a reminder that over the years, I have been loved.

In the same way, we have to remind ourselves that we are also loved by God, even in the midst of trials like the one we are going through now. He tells us He loves us repeatedly throughout the written letter we have from Him, the Bible, hopefully not tucked away in a box, but within arm’s reach. When our confidence is waning, we need to read the Word of God, and claim powerful truths like “The Lord is our confidence” and Hebrews 13:6: “So we say with confidence the Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid.”

I believe that when we call ourselves Christians and take a stand for Christ, we also have to stand firm on his promises. The two cannot be separate from each other. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, he comes to reside within us through His Holy Spirit. We become God’s house, so anxiety and fear cannot reside in the same house as God. According to the Bible, a house divided cannot stand (Mark 3:25). We have the authority to speak back to the angst and tell it that it has no home in us.

I have studied, and in recent weeks have revisited a form of praying the Scriptures over my life called “Lectio Divina.” One of the methods we can use to make biblical truths sink into our hearts is by inserting our names into the promises found in the Word of God. To help free you from a lack of confidence, fear and anxiety, I have provided some passages below that have helped me. As a matter of example, I’ve placed my name in them, but I want you to insert your name and say them aloud, believing in what you are speaking. Will you try this today?

“But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And Lisa is his house, if indeed Lisa holds firmly to the confidence and the hope in which she glories” (Hebrews 3:6).

“Be patient, then, Lisa, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, Lisa, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:7–8).

“Do not be anxious about anything, Lisa, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard Lisa’s heart and mind in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Strengthen your feeble hands, Lisa. Steady the knees that give way; say to your fearful heart, be strong, do not fear; your God will come; he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you” (Isaiah 35:3–4).

This is how we regain our confidence. This is how we overcome fear and anxiety—by speaking God’s truth over our lives. As you do this more and more, you will feel the confidence that only comes from God.

So here is my prayer for you today: May the Lord strengthen you through His Word. May He remind you that He loves you so much that He equips you to face any trial, including the COVID-19 Pandemic. I pray you will place your hope in God who is the only One who can provide stable ground for you to stand. That you will find your confidence is a by-product of trusting God, even in the worst of circumstances. I pray the Lord will protect your household from the Coronavirus. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.