Confidence.

How do I talk to people in my life who have a bit of the truth, but they are not walking daily with Jesus, the way to the Father? Do i just grieve and worry and mull?

Honestly, that has been my mantra for quite a time now. Jesus isn’t working things in my timeline and he must not hear me. Or, it’s not his will. Read that again. When I say it aloud, the lack of truth is astounding.

Which is why, as I finish a study of 1 John, the word that jumps off the page is confidence. So I need to dive in on that word today. No matter what my life looks like right now, I want to hold onto the truth.

“Now, little children (believers, dear ones), remain in Him [with unwavering faith], so that when He appears [at His return], we may have [perfect] confidence and not be ashamed and shrink away from Him at His coming. If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God’s will] has been born of Him.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭2‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.2.28-29.AMP

Today, my thought life needs to merge with the truth. Remain in Him. He is coming. My perfect confidence is not on what I see with my eyes. My perfect confidence that remaining in Him, in the truth is my only way forward.

“Beloved, if our heart does not convict us [of guilt], we have confidence [complete assurance and boldness] before God; and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1jn.3.21-22.AMP

When I am walking so close to the Father, when I am studying His words, when I am praying without ceasing I know His will. In so doing, I can declare what is true. God wants all to come to the cross. He wants all to bow their knee.

So my walk with Jesus means keeping His commands. Loving Him while obeying. When sin is crouching at my door or I have given into temptation, I remember these verses. Rather than allowing whispers that I will never be good enough or God doesn’t forgive this or God doesn’t answer prayers, I stand on the prayers I have written earlier that remind me, He does answer. He is faithful.

“Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
‭‭2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭AMP‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/1588/2pe.3.8-9.AMP

I also stand on His word. As for my requests, my timing and His are completely different. Who holds the world in the palm of His hand? Hint: not me. God is moving. I just want to walk with him and hear his heart, even when my circumstances threaten to overwhelm. Come back to the truth. May our lives be a beautiful aroma before Him because of the blood of Jesus.

My confidence is not in what I see. Oh heart believe and be assured, my God is always faithful.

Side note: this post has been long in the making. I have been in pain. if what I’ve said doesn’t make sense, I do apologize. These are lessons, that I write about, that I am learning right now. My thoughts are like a bowl of spaghetti, pull one noodle or the other, it feels like a jumbled mess. i write to remember. i write to encourage. I write to bring God glory.