Confidence in Christ

wor·ry: to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.


Why do we do this to ourselves? Worry is not appealing in any way, shape, or form. To me, worry is like eating a rotten apple. You see and know that the rotten apple is bad for you, and you know after you eat it, you will have a stomach ache... but because we have been given free will, we often find ourselves doing things our way, just because we can. 

I am the queen of control. I constantly need it and desire it. It has been a big issue in my spiritual life... okay, and in my social life. My biggest worries come from not being in control.

Let me differentiate something quickly. There is a significant difference between worry and fear.  The two are not interchangeable. 

I worry constantly, but I am also constantly reminded that God despises worry. He has prepared us to be confident. Confidence that is solicited to Him. Confidence in Christ. It is attainable. I'm sure we all have a few people in our lives that we would say are Confident in Christ.

My boyfriend, Elliott, never seems to worry. I used to think he was simply care-free, and it really bothered me. Like I said earlier, I am a control freak. I am big on planning and making sure every little thing is in order. But he just waltzes through life being a free-spirit. How inspiring to see someone without worry. If you don't have a friend like that, someone who simply put: lacks worry, I would highly recommend finding one. It has allowed me to look at life and laugh.

When you are confident in Christ, you learn to do that. To laugh at life. Take joy in that. Dig deep and develop a pure confidence in the Lord. 

Question yourself today and ask, are you confident in Christ? Do you without a doubt consider Christ your one and only confidence? You see, I think Christ aims for us to be nothing without Him. I know your response to that may be, "well duh". However, I struggle with this. 

Take a step back, breathe, and think. 

Take Christ away from you for a moment. Picture a life without Him. Without believing in Him, and the power He, and He alone, has. 

When I did this, I stood face to face with a devastating truth: I was still confident.

Apart from Christ, I should be nothing. I should feel as low to the earth as I can get. I should feel like my life is hopeless. I should feel insecure. 

But the number one indicator of not being confident in Christ: worry.

It will separate you from God, because that was satan's intention.

Good news you guys. 

"What the devil intended for evil, harm, and separation, Father, you intended for good."

-Genesis 50:20

Rest in that today. Fight through the separation that satan tries to construct by faithfully being confident in Christ. Regardless of the circumstances, or trials, God has prepared GOOD things for you.

Thank you for listening to what God has put on my heart.

 -Bethany

Be Still My Soul

Uganda transformed my heart.

You see, I could say Uganda changed my heart, but I would be wrong. A small change didn't occur... but an entire transformation did. My eyes see different things, my heart feels different ways, and the Lord looks completely different to me.

This transformation is much deeper than "I saw poverty and want to help the orphans", this transformation roots deep within me, and requires me to love people. Two simple words of action, that require a great deal of faith and practice. 


Loving people was natural to me in Uganda. It was easy to love those people. Not for the reason that they were poor, or I felt sympathy towards them, but because they were truly beautiful in every way. 

They had good hearts. 

Coming back to America has been a struggle, because I see my life, and the lives of those around me. The word that keeps popping into my head is "stuff". "Stuff" could very well describe much of America. Things, items, objects- we live for it. But I question myself now and who I am apart from this "stuff". 

1 John 2:15-17 says "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

After my first two days in Uganda, I remember thinking, "This is great, but I can't wait to go home and drive my car. To go to Chic-Fil-a, see my friends, go spend money on clothes, eat a snow cone, and live a normal life."

The problem is, our "normal" is so far from what God has planned for us. 

I challenge you, as I have challenged myself, to look at your life and slowly start removing the "stuff". Things that may distract you from God, or even from life. Cell phones, laptops, iPads, iPods, movies, t.v., getting your nails done, doing your hair..."stuff". 

It is all just stuff

I have good news: Our God is not a God of "stuff", but a God passionately in love with you, and the eternal value you hold. 

Let us praise Him, for He is good.