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Confidence

What do you have that brings you confidence? The natural response is to look at our abilities, talents, education, accomplishments, personality, or material resources. It is easy to place our confidence in anything that seems to work and helps us to be successful, but when we experience failure, our confidence can be shattered and uncertainty can quickly take over our thinking and emotions.

As a young man, I had a great deal of confidence in my personality and ability to speak and communicate. I taught classes, gave seminars, emceed events, and appeared on TV and radio. In my late thirties I developed a voice condition known as Spasmodic Dysphonia. My vocal cords quit working properly and my voice became strained and strangulated. I was devastated. My confidence was shattered. I quit speaking and withdrew from people.

In time, I learned to take new steps of faith and obedience when I sensed that God was leading me to speak in front of a group or a class. However, my fear and apprehension about public speaking was something that remained with me.

Recently, I was asked to bring the Sunday morning message at the church I am now attending. Immediately my flesh cried out, “No, I cannot do this.” Fear and panic set in. Suddenly, the voice of God quieted me, and I knew He wanted me to say “yes.” I knew I needed to place my confidence in God alone.

As I left my home the Sunday morning I was scheduled to speak, a powerful thought swept over my heart and mind, “I have you, Lord.” As I reflected on these words my confidence began to soar. “I may not have a strong voice,” I thought, “but I have you, Lord.” In those moments, I knew that because I had the Lord, I had all I needed. When it came time to speak, the power of the Holy Spirit took over, and I experienced one of the greatest freedoms I have ever had in speaking.

For the LORD shall be thy confidence.
Proverbs 3:26 KJV

By Roy Lessin,
Co-founder DaySpring Cards and Senior Writer

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