Imagine that you are on a diet. Your are 15 lbs away from dropping a dress size, for which someone will give you 1 million dollars. Now imagine that instead of picking up your keys to go to the gym you pick up a pair of scissors. You then cut off the tag that says XL and carefully sew on a L and go to collect your reward. You may say “wait that is cheating” but in this case it’s not! Often we allow so many other things define who we are and limit what we can do other than the Word of God. Sometimes we just need to change the unit we use to measure.
If that is like you than you might use the opinion of others as your unit of measure. The problem being the opinion of others are based on their vision of who you are and where you are going but with out a specific insight from the Lord it may not line up with who and what God says you are. If you are trying to keep from disappointing them I have some bad news, that will never happen. The good news is, God will never leave you or forsake you. His gifts are with out repentance and he won’t change his mind about you. To me it was nerve racking to loose the approval of people I love and respect. It petrified me to make people angry. God does not want us to live with that fear. Freedom is possible! So if you use the approval of others to determine where you are in the Lord here is a scripture to put in your arsenal.
Yourself
If this statement sound like you than you are most likely looking to live up to your own expectations. Having goals and expectations are important. I am learning more and more that they are an essential part chasing and achieving your dreams and goals. But if your expectations for yourself are not wrapped and rooted in the word of God they can lead you down a road of condemnation and disappointment. That is a road of which I am all to acquainted.
The truth is on our own none of us measure up. The enemy knows that, and tries to distract us with everything we are not. Really the answer is to focus on every thing God is. The Word says he is made perfect in our weekness. He loves to use people who come up short. He loves to use people that are forgotten because when he does something beautiful with your life than everyone knows that it was him. I am so tired of wrapping up my self confidence in a pink bow and handing it right over to the enemy. I understand that to guard my heart means I must construct that confidence from the Word of God and encase it in faith. The Bible says faith comes but hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you need to build some faith barriers here are some confidence boosting scriptures I look to.
“For I know the plans<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19647A" data-link="(A)” style=”font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;”> I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-19647B" data-link="(B)” style=”font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; vertical-align: top;”> you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14
Journey To A Virtuous Woman 