A business coach I follow describes the process of Four C’s he believes are required to build confidence,. Commitment, Courage, Capability, Confidence. He says you must first make a commitment to pursue something, then have the courage to try and likely fail early on. However, once you have practiced you will have built the capability, and with development of that capability you build confidence. The hardest part in this sequence for many people is Courage, because courage is always uncomfortable. In order to build confidence we have to go through this discomfort associated with exercising courage.

James describes a similar situation with our faith. He writes in James 1:2-3, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”

There is also a somewhat rough language expression heard around some military organizations that captures this concept of making the best of a bad situation on the way to success. They say, “Embrace the suck.” Whether it comes from is this idea, or the discomfort of courage, or having joy in facing troubles with faith, our endurance and confidence in God’s power and love will grow when we count on it.

Dear Lord, when we face difficulties, disappointments, and fears in our lives, help us embrace them with the knowledge that our faith in you is what will carry us through, remembering what Paul told us in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Everyone has something to be thankful for. Taking a moment out to think about these things, and be thankful, actually helps our view of life. It is impossible to be bitter, angry, or negative when we are being thankful.

Not only, however, should we take time to be thankful, we should think about who to be thankful to. Other than the specific things people do for us, the major things in life are provided by God. Things like, the beauty of nature, the magical balance of the forces of nature, the ability to think, feel, learn, and reason, the ability to love, and be loved, so many things that only God can provide.

Psalm 51:14-15 says, “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.” and verse 23 says, “.. giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for the amazing blessings you provide to all of us. May we bring our thanks to you to honor you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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One of the complexities of Christianity is addressing sinful behavior. Some people make it a high priority to point out the sinful behavior of others, and that pushes people away. On the other side, some people don’t want to “judge” others, so are reluctant to address other’s sinful behavior.

In Ephesians 4, Paul is explaining how great it will be when the people of the church grow in their faith and knowledge and become “mature in the Lord.” What he writes in Ephesians 4:15 struck me as the way we should handle difficult conversations as Christians, “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”

“Speak the truth in Love.” If only we could have this discipline to hold fast to right and wrong, the truth, but share and communicate with love and grace.

Dear Lord, you show us how to speak the truth in love through Your life in the Bible. Help us learn from the lessons, and show love to all, but never compromise our conviction and faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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As a child, do you remember asking for the “secret password” when your sibling or parent knocked on the door to come into your room, or watching children’s shows and the characters had a “clubhouse” that they would require a secret password to be allowed in?

That is in some ways how I read Psalm 100:4, speaking about God, it says, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.”

The secret password for gaining entry into God’s gates and court are thanks and praise. Before our prayers and petitions are allowed in God’s presence, we need to give him thanks and praise.

Dear Lord, we come to you with our thanks for giving us our savior Jesus Christ and for the important things in our lives, our families, friends, our health. We recognize all that we have is just on loan from you. We praise you for your awesome power and love for us. Help us remember to come to you with our thanks and praise first. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Have you seen the movies, or read books describing situations requiring complicated plans that have to be scheduled and executed precisely in order to succeed. Like the robbery in the Italian Job, or the escape in the Great Escape. Every detail, timing, step in the sequence of events, is figured out so the characters can succeed. In a similar way, God has plans for us that may include things we could never expect, but are critical to his plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Sometimes the steps in God’s plan for us include negative events that could easily discourage us or make us question whether God actually cares; like losing a job, an illness, accident, or even losing a loved one. We can never know how God is working things in our lives, to put us in the right situation to do what he calls us to do.

Isaiah writes God’s words in Isaiah 55:9, ” For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” God has a plan for each of us. Our job is to commit ourselves to following His plan, and listen for his direction.

Dear Lord, Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand what good can come from bad things that happen in our lives. In these difficult circumstances, help us maintain our faith that you are working your plans for us and will protect and prosper us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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