Do you want A Confident Heart?

Do you want to be used by God?

I don't know how or even when it started.  I was once a confident, outgoing young lady.  Now at...my age...I have somehow become filled with self-doubt and fear.  I worry about what others will think of me, how my actions and words will be perceived.  "What if I don't do well; what if they don't agree with me?"  All those

"what if's" lead to hiding, and I find that I have disobeyed the Lord by standing back and not doing.

Last year, I felt a prompting to send a women in my church an encouraging letter.  I did not know her well, but what I observed was a beautiful woman of God.  She always looks put together; she is friendly and confident...not only that but she is down to earth and genuine.  At Bible studies, she always shares relevant insights that she learns during her time with the Lord.  What could I do that would encourage a woman like that.  I am disorganized, struggle to have a consistent quiet time, am too shy to share during small groups...Her strengths are so evident, and it looks like she has no weaknesses.  While I know that is not true, unfortunately MY weaknesses are ever so obvious to me. And I could not see what I had to offer.  I was afraid that she would think-"why did she write me" or "she is so strange."  A couple of weeks later, she shared that on the very week I thought of writing her, she was struggling.  The enemy was attacking her with lies, and using interactions with a close friend of hers to enforce those lies.  God wanted to use me in that situation, but I allowed doubt to stop me from obeying and being used by Him.  

I don't want to be that person.  I want God to be able to use me.  I want to say "Yes Lord, Send me!!"  I need to stop allowing doubt to drown the Truth that I know from God's Word.  I need to stand on His Promises instead of cowering behind the enemy's lies.

  Does any of this sound familiar?  The details of your story will vary, but so many of us (I'd even venture to say most, if not all) have struggled or do struggle with self-doubts.  If you are a doubter, I recommend The Confident Heart  by Renee Swope.  To read more about this great book, check tomorrow's post!