Leanne Mallett
Why you should be confident this year
Too often we look at opportunities from God and focus on our capabilities rather than having confidence in the Lord, suggests National Aspire Leader Leanne Mallet.
Throughout 2017, we read articles and heard stories at our conferences from inspirational ladies with stories of how they have risen up and taken hold of those opportunities that have been set before them.
Recently, at a conference we organised in Manchester, we heard from two inspirational women - Liz Warom and Marilyn Skinner. They shared stories from their own personal journeys and how God has used them in the business world and on the mission field. Two completely different worlds but the same God doing extraordinary things in them and through them!
In life, the things that we face are not always great opportunities but can be real-life challenges. We come up against both! But hearing many of these stories hopefully would have inspired us where we are at and for us to think, "Well, if she can do it, so can I!" God can ‘use’ any of us where we are! God can ‘help’ any of us where we are! He is with us in each season of our lives.
So this year, we want us now to rise up in that knowledge that we can do it but rising up with a confidence! Our theme for Aspire is “CONFIDENT”.
Looking up this word in the dictionary it says this: “Confident - feeling or showing confidence in oneself or one's abilities or qualities. Feeling or showing certainty about something; having a strong belief or full assurance.”
The Bible often talks about us being confident and I believe God wants us to be confident in who He is and the things that God has called us to do. In Phil 4:23 we are reminded that as we take hold of those things that He is calling us do that He will give us the strength to do it. That we can confidently declare: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”.
So often we can look at those opportunities that God sets before us and can quickly focus too much on the natural, whether we are capable, the what if’s, what others might think. Hebrews13:6 reminds us that as we step out, we can do so knowing He is with us: “So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
What an assurance also that as we perhaps face challenges that not only we have that freedom to approach Him in our time of need, but a confidence that He hears us!
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:12
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
“Though an army besieges me, my heart will not fear; though war breaks out against me, even then I will be confident.” Psalm 27:3
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
This past year could have been a great year for you or a year where you have sensed some disappointments or hardships. Perhaps a reminder to you at the start of this year would be what Phil 1:6 says: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
My prayer is that in 2018 we will see much fruitfulness in our ministries, careers, families and relationships. That at the start of a brand new year, however, the past year has been, we can look forward now and ‘ remain’ confident that we will see “ the goodness of the Lord” wherever we are placed.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13
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