Exactly as I planned, it will happen. Following My blueprints, it will take shape. — Isaiah 14:24
Confidence. When I was a high school student, I took a class in competitive debate. At first I thought, "What have I gotten myself into?" I hated it! I was so, so bad at it.
Back in those days we would research a topic and write quotes from experts that we thought might support our position on index cards. Well, in the beginning, I got up, read my pile of index cards and sat down. I’m sure some people in the room had to bite their tongues to keep from laughing out loud — or from falling asleep.
The only person who had any confidence in me whatsoever was my dear mother. She kept telling me what a great job I was doing. It was a lie. But she believed it. And, after a while, I believed it. I got up and I started to really believe that I was good enough to win.
Guess what? I started to win. I went from being the worst of the worst my Freshman year to being one of the top ten debaters in the state by the end of my Sophomore year. My sights were set on winning the national high school debate tournament before I left for college. (That’s another story.)
It’s a great feeling to be on the winning team. And that’s what we are. We are on the winning team. God doesn’t have any doubts about His ability to turn everything in your life and in mine into triumph.
It gives our little failings and temptations and lapses a little different spin, doesn’t it? God is going to win. And because we are His children, we will win with Him.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.