I’ve been praying for a wonderful sister that has been single for quite some time. She’s raised her children, has a great job, and has her own home. Her mantra is “I don’t need a man, but I’d like to have a good one.” I don’t know about you, but I think this is a pretty good attitude to have. It’s paramount that every woman understands Colossians 2:10(NLT), which affirms that we are complete through our union with Christ. It is through his love that we have the strength and resources to take care of ourselves and families as single parents. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength, and many of us understand that we live this truth every moment of each day.
The reason this dear sister stays on my heart is because I identify with her stand regarding what she will and will not accept. She’s been through some bad times with men who were both unfaithful and dishonest. And when I say ‘bad times’, I mean just that. She wasn’t treated well, but still kept pressing—still kept it moving, regardless of the pain these relationships caused her. When we’ve reached this point in our lives, where we’ve been through enough of the non-sense to know what we really want, most of us overlook some important but often unspoken lessons of faith contained in what we’ve experienced.
James 1:13-15(NLT) tells us, “13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” This passage is so important because many people, even Christians, blame the most tragic events of their lives on God. Some will say that He placed the person who hurt them in their lives to test or punish them, and this isn’t the truth. One of the things every Christian woman must do is make sure her heart is clear when it comes to this; God does not tempt. Temptations are birthed from our own desires.
When we don’t understand why we’ve had to endure so much in life and why we’ve had to, for the most part, do it alone; it can cause feelings and thoughts of doubt. We can begin to doubt God’s willingness to help us make better choices, and we also begin to doubt ourselves; whether we can actually have a relationship that works. We don’t often see doubt as temptation but we must become wise about this. Temptation is a lethal weapon of the enemy. It is a web satan weaves from our own desires to have a relationship with someone we can really connect with. Sometimes our desires are not funneled through wisdom and spiritual maturity, and this is the reason the devil is able to use our relationships as a weapon against us. This is one of the lessons we should have learned.
What we want to do is develop confidence in ourselves through the Lord Jesus Christ. What does this look like? It looks like a celebration! We need to celebrate how far we’ve grown in the Lord and also celebrate how His love works in us today because of this growth. To paint another portrait of confidence in Christ, sit down with the brush of honesty, and ponder the answer to one of the most important questions you’ll ever ask; do you truly believe in your core that there isn’t anything you can’t overcome through the love of Christ?
If the answer to this question is ‘yes’, don’t let fear back into your heart, but let the vigor of hope and faith shape your thoughts and feelings. Remember the ways you didn’t let God lead in your past, and affirm that you’ll surrender totally now, in your present and future. Let the same faith that brought you to where you are today also carry you to new places. There’s still much more we all have to learn about being confident in Christ, but we’ve come a long way, and if we remain encouraged in Him, Heavenly Father will reward our commitment. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“A Portrait of Confidence in Christ ” written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2020. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.