So many women are being hyper-stretched right now. Oh, we’ve been stretched before, but some of us are in danger of snapping. Demands seem extra heavy. Many are navigating havoc in their work, caring for ailing family members and the chaos of their children’s schedules. Whether you’re facing an increased workload, adjusting to a whole new team due to a reorg or new job all together, or any number of other challenges, you may feel ill-prepared to tackle the demands coming at you.
Our confidence is being tested in extraordinary ways.
I’m right there with you. I am faced with new challenges I need to meet to keep the organization growing while my husband has gone through a series of health challenges. I have days I wonder all over again if I have what it takes.
Yet we need confidence to bring our best forward.
A simple shift in perspective can make all the difference in how much confidence you and I can access so we feel empowered to take action and get others on board. The most important shift we can make is from “it all depends on me” to “I am dependent on the Lord. He shows me the way and provides what I need.”
Confidence based on our own abilities is unstable at best. But confidence based on who God is and what He can do through us is the secret sauce to greater resilience, peace, strength and the wisdom we need to take the best next steps in the best timing.
Confidence is the fuel that helps us focus, come up with creative solutions and take bold action. So, how can you develop unshakable confidence to help you navigate the rough waters with grace and ease?
- Know who and whose you are: Your identity is not in your work, your family roles, your past, your accomplishments or your failures. Those things don’t define you. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a daughter of the One True King (2 Corinthians 6:18); you are more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37); You are a new creation in Christ – the old is gone and the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are loved and made right with God by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9). And you have the power of the Holy Spirit living in you (1 Corinthians 6:19).
- Seek God’s wisdom and will: I’ve found one simple question helps me to shift my perspective when things seem daunting – “God, what do you want this to look like?’ When I ask that question and allow myself to be still so I can hear God’s response, I am able to tap into a vision for what to do I could not have had at all from a place of overwhelm.
- Create community: Join with a group of women or invite some women to gather with you. Having like-minded women who also want to grow in their faith and do their work for the Lord is a great way to find encouragement, accountability and support. Turning to God in our work is not the norm. You’ll come against all kinds of distractions. Having a community around you will help you stay the course when the world wants to throw you off balance. Together, you can help each other shine bright in dark places (Matthew 5:16).
While the hyper-stretching can be painful, it’s a great reminder that we don’t have to – and in fact cannot – rely on our own strength. We have a God who never leaves us, who is there for us through everything (Hebrews 13:5-6). Jesus is our Confidence Cornerstone, our one stable source of wisdom, peace and strength (1 Peter 2:5-6).
Be sure to check out the new YouVersion devotional, The Confidence Cornerstone.
For even more on this topic, get the book The Confidence Cornerstone: A Woman’s Guide to Fearless Leadership.
