I used to believe that confidence has to start with me. I have to believe in me in order to be confident. But recently in my reading and prayer I finally realized that confidence actually comes from a different place all together—from God.

Many women are convinced that they can’t be confident because of all the “better” people around them or the problems they’re having, but truthfully confidence comes from a place completely outside of ourselves. I believe we can find it when we really tap into these three areas.

God’s Faithfulness to Us

The God of the Bible has always been faithful to his people. It was celebrated in the Old Testament and proven in the New Testament, and the best news is that it’s that same God that we worship, lean on, and find confidence in.

Your faithfulness endures to all generations; you have established the earth, and it stands fast. —Psalm 119:90

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. —Hebrews 10:23

His presence with us and his faithfulness to us are the foundations of our confidence not only in this world but also beyond it into eternity. That’s where our hope and joy comes from, and that’s why we are able and even should stand tall and believe in ourselves … because that God is on our side.

God’s Ability to Work in Us

We have incredible power at our disposal every single day. We have the power of the Holy Spirit—God’s own personal presence in us. Yet we find ourselves shrinking back from that power out of fear that we can’t do what he asks of us.

But Jesus told us otherwise in John 14:12, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith” chapter of the Bible, recounts all the names of imperfect and ordinary people that God chose to work through to enact his perfect plan.

It all stems from our obedience, and that comes from our belief that God can and will use us.

God’s Gifts to Us

Throughout the Bible we see examples of how God has equipped us with gifts to build up his Body and even to simply help one another in the world. We each have special gifts that we can use to make a difference.

All the way back in Exodus 31, we see God using craftsmen and skilled laborers to build his dwelling place. Some particular individuals were specifically gifted with the skills to build a place for God to meet his people. Those gifts were not imparted to everyone. In the same way, we are each craftsmen of our own gifts to use as acts of worship in our every day lives.

In the New Testament, we see skilled workers, but we also see the emergence of a new kind of gift—spiritual gifts. In Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, we’re introduced to these new gifts that we are given by the Holy Spirit to serve another through, and it’s those gifts we are even responsible for using and using wisely to build up the Body of Christ.

Throughout Scripture, it’s clear that God has always prepared his people. You are part of that preparation and promise. Your confidence doesn’t have to come from your belief in yourself. Instead your confidence can come from these ways that God works in us and the belief in yourself will follow.

Where Confidence Really Comes From