The Confident Woman: Start Today Living Boldly and Without Fear by Joyce Meyer Page A

insight that we did not have previously.

Don’t Shrink
     
    Self-doubt causes a person to shrink back in fear. God’s Word states in Hebrews that the just shall live by faith and if he shrinks back in fear, God’s soul has no delight in him (Hebrews 10:38). That does not mean God is angry with us, but it does sadden Him that we are living so far below the confident life He provided through Jesus Christ.
    Faith is being confident in God and His Word. Perhaps you have a good relationship with God and have no problem trusting Him, but when it comes to trusting yourself to do the right thing, you shrink—you allow fear to control you and pull you back.
    God once told me that if I didn’t trust myself, then I didn’t trust Him. He said that He was living in me, and directing, guiding and controlling me because I asked Him to do so. I needed to believe God’s promises, not my feelings or thoughts. Of course, any one of us can miss God and we can make mistakes. We can think we are going in the right direction and then discover we are wrong but it’s not the end of the world, nor is it anything to become excessively concerned about. If our hearts are sincere and we are honestly seeking God’s will, even if we do make a mistake, He will intervene and get us back on track. Quite often, He does it without us even knowing.
    I encourage you to believe that you are being led by God unless He shows you otherwise, instead of always assuming you are wrong and living in the agony of self-doubt. Just as God has promised in His Word (John 16:13), trust Him to lead you by His Holy Spirit into all truth. If we are on the wrong track, God will help us get back on the right one.
    When Jim Burke became the head of a new products division at Johnson & Johnson, one of his first projects was the development of a children’s chest rub. The product failed miserably, and Burke expected that he would be fired. When he was called in to see the chairman of the board, however, he was met with a surprising reception.
    “Are you the one who just cost us all that money?” asked Robert Wood Johnson. “Well, I just want to congratulate you. If you are making mistakes, that means you are taking risks, and we won’t grow unless you take risks.”
    Some years later, when Burke himself became chairman of Johnson & Johnson, he continued to spread that word. 1
    Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. You will never succeed without making mistakes and possibly many of them. I believe people give their mistakes more power than they need. We should admit them, repent, and ask God to forgive us for them. We should also learn from our mistakes because by doing so, they can add value to our lives. Instead of allowing mistakes to make you feel guilty and bad, let them be your teacher and always remember that just because you make a mistake does not mean you are a mistake.
    Learn to separate your “who” from your “do.” Making mistakes is something we do as human beings, but we are still God’s children and He has a good plan for our lives. He is long-suffering, plenteous in mercy and filled with loving kindness.
    Dave and I have four grown children and I can assure you that over the years they have made many mistakes, but they are still my children and I love them just as much as if they had never made the mistakes. Some parents are so protective over their children that they never allow them to make any of their own decisions or mistakes. This is the biggest mistake of all. To grow we must step out and try things. We learn what works and what doesn’t. Learning from first-hand experience is a much better teacher than a textbook.

Removing the Sin of Doubt
     
    Self-doubt is simply the fear of being wrong. The Spirit you have received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear (Romans 8:15). God does not want you to live in fear, doubting yourself or doubting Him.
    If you think about it, doubt is actually sin because in Romans 14:23