I feel like growing up that my parents instilled in me a healthy amount of confidence. I was confident in their love, that what I heard at church was true, and I was eager to try new things.

As I have grown and experienced disappointments, failures, and hardships, I feel like my confidence has slowly slipped.

It has gotten to the point that I have frequent periods of anxiety. I was afraid to even leave my house at one point after moving.

I have had an overwhelming sense of dread that something bad was on the verge of happening to my family. To the point that I felt paralyzed and traumatized over “what ifs.”

I have been so fearful over making decisions that I just don’t and have to suffer consequences.

Honestly, all of these things have left me asking myself, what happened to that confident girl that I used to be? Did I die somewhere along the way? Did I get so disillusioned by life that I am no longer hopeful or experience any happiness?

When Our Confidence is Shaken

What the Lord has been teaching me is that my confidence has been misplaced.

He never moved. He never changed. He is still on His throne and still in control.

It’s me!

I let the cares of this world, the worries of my personal struggles, and the pride of my own self confidence drown out the truth of His word that I should have been preaching to myself.

As believers, when we feel our confidence is shaken, we have to realize that somewhere along the way, we got off track. But, the good news is that our good God wants to help us get right back on track.

All we have to do is confess our lack of confident trust in Him and His word, draw near to Him in humble submission, and start replacing those lies with the truth found in Scripture.

I’m not sure what has shaken your confidence. For me it was a new place, unknown future, hurtful relationships, and problems with teenagers.

Maybe some one has hurt you, you have a health scare, finances are dwindling, or you’ve lost your joy.

Whatever it is, let’s define God’s view of confidence, see what His word has to say, and pray some prayers!

What Is Confidence According to the Bible

The definition of confidence is “the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.” For Christians, this belief is the faith that we have in Jesus. It’s a firm trust in His character, His word, and our future inheritance.

While I was praying and reading the Bible on what my confidence in God should look like, I was drawn to 2 Psalms: Psalm 112 and Psalm 118. Neither have an author attributed to them but both are beautifully written and express the believer’s great confidence and trust in God.

I am going to break down Psalm 118 for us as it really expressed to me exactly what confidence in the Lord looks like for a needy servant of Jesus.

Fun fact: While researching more on this chapter, I discovered that the great reformer, Martin Luther, claimed it as his own, calling it “a masterpiece”.

“This is my own beloved psalm. Although the entire Psalter and all of Holy Scripture are dear to me as my only comfort and source of life, I fell in love with this psalm especially. Therefore I call it my own. When emperors and kings, the wise and the learned, and even saints could not aid me, this psalm proved a friend and helped me out of many great troubles. As a result, it is dearer to me than all the wealth, honor, and power of the pope, the Turk, and the emperor. I would be most unwilling to trade this psalm for all of it.”  -Martin Luther

I can echo these sentiments, when no one else could aid me, this psalm proved to be a friend and helped me out of many great troubles. I hope and pray it does the same for you!

Confidence is Asking God for Help

I called to the Lord in distress;
the Lord answered me
and put me in a spacious place. Psalm 118:5

Confidence is knowing that we can turn to God and by faith believing He will answer. Not only that, but that He has good planned for us, “He put me in a spacious place.” This means we are free from fear, worry, etc. and stand on the firm foundation of our Lord.

In verse 7, he says, “The Lord is my helper.” Confidence says that Almighty God of heaven and earth is in control and loves His child enough to intercede on their behalf.

Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to, “approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”

Confidence is Knowing God is for Me

The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. Psalm 118:6a

God is for me!! He is not against me. He loves me. He wants me to prosper and succeed.

Do you believe it?

Have troubles and worries caused you to take your eyes of the prize? Jesus is worth the wait. He is worth the wrestling. He is worth the seeking truth.

He is always right there. He is ready and willing to fight for you. Be still. Trust. Remind yourself again and again: The Lord is for me!!

Confidence is Not Fearing Man

What can a mere mortal do to me?
 The Lord is my helper;
therefore, I will look in triumph on those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in humanity.
 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in nobles. Psalm 118:6b-9

In Romans 8:31, the apostle Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?“

Indeed, if the Sovereign King who rules over all is for us, who can stand against us? Because to do that would be to stand against Him.

Confidence is not fearing man. It is also not putting our hope in man over the Lord.

The Lord is our refuge. He can move mountains, part seas, send fire from heaven, and stop a storm. Have no fear, He can rescue you from man and man-made schemes.

Confidence is Claiming Victory

There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!
 The Lord’s right hand is raised.
The Lord’s right hand performs valiantly!”
I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done. Psalm 118:15-17

The Lord performs valiantly on our behalf. He did not spare His son to die for our sin. He has forgiven and pardoned us. He has separated our sin as far as the east is from the west.

And if that’s not enough, He continues to guide, love, and renew us!

We can shout with joy! We can proclaim victory! God wins!

This psalm begins and ends the same: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his faithful love endures forever.” (v. 1, 29)

Victory is found when we remember that we have so much in which to be thankful. We chose to dwell on God’s goodness and His faithful love. And, we realize all He has done for us.

It stirs up trust and a hope that never fails!

What Does the Bible Say about Confidence

Confidence is my word of the year for 2025 so I have been collecting scriptures that speak into confidence in the Lord for a month now. (All from the Christian Standard Bible version.)

Notice some of the other words used in these verses that persuade a confidence in our God: assurance, not afraid, never shaken, look in triumph, trust, and walking by faith.

I can honestly say that now that any time I read the word, I finding new ways that the Lord inspires our confident trust. I hope what the Bible says about confidence encourages and guards you heart.

• Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. Psalm 27:3

• My heart is confident, God, my heart is confident. I will sing; I will sing praises. Psalm 57:7

• For you are my hope, Lord God, my confidence from my youth. Psalm 71:5

• He will never be shaken. The righteous one will be remembered forever. He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord. His heart is assured; he will not fear. In the end he will look in triumph on his foes. Psalm 112:6-8

• In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence and his children have a refuge. Proverbs 14:26

• The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17

• The person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. Jeremiah 17:7

• In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. Ephesians 3:12

• So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight.  In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

• I rejoice that I have complete confidence in you. 2 Corinthians 7:16

• Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God. 1 John 3:21

• In this, love is made complete with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because as he is, so also are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

• This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

Prayers for Confidence in Christ

• Lord, I am lacking confidence right now. I know you are trustworthy. I want to believe and leave behind fear and doubt. Be my refuge and rescue me from this place of distress. Amen.

• God, You are my Helper. I want to put all of my confidence in Your hands. Please forgive my doubts and fears. Take over my life and give my heart assurance in Your great love and unfailing faithfulness. Amen.

• Heavenly Father, You sent Jesus to die for me. I know you are for me! Help my unbelief. Inspire confident trust as I read Your holy word and cry out to you for peace. Amen.