Choosing CONFIDENCE

Romans 12:3 - For I say to every man that is among you, through the grace given unto me, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Sometimes we are very arrogant. We think that we are truly “the bee’s knees” – meaning we are simply exceptional creatures. We believe our value far exceeds that of other human beings. We lack humility. We lack graciousness. We are hard-headed and unteachable.

Well, Paul wrote these words to the believers in Rome in the context of encouraging them to present their bodies as living sacrifices to God and to not get caught up in pagan practices and mindset of this world. After those words of wisdom, he says that they ought to be careful about how highly they think of themselves. They need to remember that their value comes from the fact that they are designed by God; not from any earthly criteria.

But in keeping with the fact that we are God’s design, let’s examine the following scriptures:

Psalm 139:13&14 - For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Romans 8:29&30 - For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So we truly are exceptional creatures of exceptional value! It’s just that the value is not in and of ourselves; it comes from God who loves us with an unconditional love and has designed us in His image. In our humanity we are flawed but in Him, we are perfect. Our confidence can only truly come from knowing who we are in God – fearfully and wonderfully made.

My prayer today is that you would humble yourself before God, believe what He says about you, and (with graciousness and reverence for your Creator) choose CONFIDENCE.