Confidence

Being confident while standing on jello is not such an easy thing. The slightest movement anywhere on the surface causes everything else to move as well. How can we have certainty in uncertain times? Here is one way to answer that question from my own experience.
I have certainty because…

1. I meditate on His law: Psalm 1 offers the promise of blessing onto the one who will meditate on God’s word day and night. Like the “Shema” prayer of Deut 6 it is the consistency of practice when we walk along the way, when we lie down, when we rise up. It is learning to think of things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, praise worthy as encouraged by Paul in Phil 4:8. It truly is being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2). This does not come easy. It comes from years of practice. Our thinking is not changed overnight. A radical conversion may result in a quick change in our perspective but we still have our baggage from the years we lived prior to the knowledge of God. 
2. I intention myself to trust in Him. It is one thing to read the scriptures and have a working knowledge. It is another thing to put that information into practice by acting as if it is true. Learning to trust means going out on a limb time and time again proving that it is true. Blind faith is still blind. Jesus offers us eyes to see and ears to hear. Our real-time experience is where we learn to trust out of personal experience. We find David speak out of this in Psalm 34 and many other places.
3. I have heard the testimonies of those around me. Our contemporaries tell of their experience and it bolsters our faith. We read of our forefathers and we find ourselves strengthened. We read of those first recipients of God’s wonders and hope grows deep. God empowers His people to testify by the indwelling of His Spirit. (Act 1:8) This is a most important aspect of our spiritual formation. Listen to the stories of power and find new life welling up within you.
4. I believe a dead man walked out of the grave. The story of the resurrection is by far the most compelling and fundamentally basic to the faith of the Christian. Realizing that Jesus overcame death is the deal maker. It tells us that God loves us so much He chooses to pursue us through the largest of obstacles. It also tells us that we will have life again after we die. For this reason we can face death without fear. For this reason we can live life to the full!