Proverbs 3:21-26 So often in life we are found in situations where we feel a lack of confidence. It may be the first day on a new job, the big interview for a job or simply a test we’re taking in school. It is at these times we rely on this verse in Proverbs 3:26: “For the Lord shall be your confidence.”
When we place our confidence in the Lord rather than ourselves, we are saying to ourselves, “I can’t, but He can.” Where we are weak, He is strong. I have found that it is in my weakest moment that the Lord is able to be my strength. Often when I place confidence in myself or my own abilities, I fall on my face and blow it. My focus is on my own ability instead of His ability. One of the definitions of responsibility is responding to His ability within us. We are totally dependent upon God. In fact, the whole world is totally dependent upon God. However, many do not realize this. They do not realize that the whole world holds together by God’s Word, and they could not take another breath without God giving it to them.
Pride will always cause a fall in our lives. Paul wrote, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). The moment we begin to stand in any situation in our own strength, we are standing in pride. Humility is recognizing our inability and applauding His ability through us. It is seeing ourselves as God sees us. He sees us as worthy of the death of His Son and created in His image. These facts, however, should not instill pride in us, but rather a deep sense of awe of God’s greatness and gratefulness to Him for choosing us. The treasure of His glory is in our earthen vessels so that He can show His excellency through us.
One of the most liberating scriptures in the Bible is Jesus’ words, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). When we recognize our total dependence upon God and that it is God who works within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, we are set free from our struggle to get everything just right in this life. Perfectionism is a prison in which many find themselves locked, and the only key to freedom is Jesus Christ, the perfect One. You’ve heard many say, “Well, nobody is perfect.” There is Somebody who is perfect, and He wants to perfect everything in our lives. We may blow it when we trust in ourselves more than we trust in God in certain situations, but the good news is that Jesus Christ is not only perfect, but He is the perfect redeemer. He is able to take our mess-ups and redeem them if we will turn to Him and ask Him to forgive our pride and arrogance and release what we have messed up to Him.
The apostle Paul had a great battle with pride because he was so skilled in so many areas. He speaks of this in his letters to the churches often when he makes the statement, “I could glory, but I will not.” Then he tells us he has learned to glory in his infirmities. He was saying he was thankful for all of his weak areas because he had to rely on Jesus’ strength.
Today is a day of great opportunity for the Lord to show Himself strong on our behalf. The only thing that would hinder this is our pride.
READ: Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26
Bill Wiese 
Paul McGuire 
