Why Your Kids Need Confidence

A couple of weeks ago I posted a blog about how my confidence level affected my girls’ confidence. As I thought about helping my kids have confidence and how to do that, I realized in order for our kids to become confident and not cocky we need to first discuss the foundation of their confidence, the need for, and the benefits of having confidence.

First, our ultimate confidence is in God. God is worthy of our trust. He is love. He is faithful, sovereign, caring, all-powerful, and forgiving. He uses everything He allows in my life for my good. “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). I love the paraphrase I heard for this verse–It’s God saying to whatever comes into our lives, “I can work with that.”

Jeremiah 7:17-18 helps me understand what it means to have confidence in God. “My blessing is on those people who trust in Me, who put their confidence in me. They will be like a tree planted near a stream whose roots spread out toward the water. It has nothing to fear when the heat come. Its leaves are always green. It has no need to be concerned in a year of drought. It does not stop bearing fruit.” (NET Bible)

The people who put their confidence in God will always have what they need when they need it and their lives will be fruitful. They are blessed.

When I put my confidence in God, I can trust the person He made me to be is the person He wants me to be. No more trying to be someone I am not. I can trust Him to speak to me through the passion, gifts, nudges, and talents He gives me. By understanding all these things about myself I understand not only who God made me to do, but what His plan is for my time on earth. God gave me my gifts, passion, and talent to use in His mission for me. If He wanted me to do other things for Him (like sing), He would have given me those gifts, talents, and passion.

I can trust God to speak to me through His Word. I do not need to listen to the voice of doubt that speaks

  • Discouragement—I’m not enough. I’m missing something. I don’t know what it is and God will not show me.
  • Worry—God will not come through for you.
  • Bitterness—See how God got it wrong in your life in the past.

When we are confident in the Lord, how He has made us, who He made us to be, and what He’s made us to do, we. . .

  • Are much more likely to stay on track with the life God has for us.
  • Are much less likely to be distracted by what others are doing or by the feeling we’re not doing it right, or we don’t “feel God” with us, or things aren’t going as we thought they would.
  • Are not people-pleasers.
  • Able to make better decisions.
  • Say no when we need to.
  • Stand strong in our faith, beliefs, and values.
  • Say yes to what’s important.

Confidence in the Lord and what He’s put in us and who He’s made us to be is crucial for our kids of all ages. So much junk comes at them on a daily basis. If you don’t believe that, visit your child’s school and walk down the hall between classes. You won’t feel the love and neither does your child. And that’s only their physical world. Their online world is even more brutal.

Our kids need to know their value to God, how much He loves them, and He is active in their lives. From there they can discover the person God made them to be; and from there they can grow to be more confident and intentional in their lives.

Next week I will give practical ways to help your child become more confident.

Until then, how do you think confidence would help your child?

Brenda Garrison is an author and speaker who empowers women with the confidence to live their calling. Brenda is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Ministry Leadership with a Concentration in Women’s Ministry at Moody Bible Institute. She and her husband, Gene, are the parents of three young adult daughters and live near Metamora, IL.

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