Finding Confidence in His Image

Lately, I’ve been moving through some big life changes and general ups and downs with life. New things can be very exciting, but also hard. Hard because you’re outside of your comfort zone, and faced with new risks and opportunities to fall flat on your face. Anytime we’re outside of our comfort zone, or when things don’t go our way, the uncertainty can feel unbearable. It’s easy to struggle, in these moments, to find the strength that’s needed within. After all, confidence, assurance, boldness, and bravery we need in the face of adversity isn’t something we can just pull from a hat.

The world tells us that we have everything we need within us. We can generate the confidence and skills we need to overcome any challenge, if we just look inside ourselves, listen to some guided imagery, and repeat enough positive affirmations. While these approaches can certainly be helpful in re-wiring the way we see ourselves and tell our story, how often do they solve those hard feelings of insecurity and doubt?

Lately, I’ve learned, that my confidence and ability to move through life’s challenges doesn’t start with me. If I was solely responsible for generating the strength, courage, and confidence that was needed, I would always fall short. I just don’t have it in me to cultivate a sense of steady assurance from within. It’s there, but it’s weak, and crumbles easily.

However, I have noticed, that a deeper sense of strength and energy comes when I choose to step into my identity as an image-bearer. As imperfect as we are, we represent and bear the nature of Christ. We are created in His image; we possess aspects of His creativity, compassion, boldness, and wisdom. Christians are not called to live in fear or self-doubt, but to embody power, love, and self-control.

This doesn’t mean we’re invincible, or that we should expect ourselves to flawlessly move through the world with no struggles or mistakes in the name of Christ. Nor does it mean that we’re immune to fear, doubt, insecurity, or fear. It does mean, however, that we carry an innate power and confidence within ourselves, just by being rooted in Christ’s image. By simply remembering and breathing in this reality, we can step into this new freedom.

I started a practice of breathing in His Spirit each morning. I envision myself being clothed with the image of Christ with each breath, imagining His qualities of joy, peace, compassion, and courage welling up inside me. In this practice, I started to cultivate a sense of strength and boldness that I had yet to bring about on my own.

Maybe this is what it means to “Walk in the Spirit…” For these breaths awaken a new sense of energy, courage and freedom that makes everything else feel so small. It empowers, encourages, and moves me to act in love, faith, and unity with others and with myself. Maybe this is a vehicle by which genuine confidence and courage plays out. Maybe this is what Paul referred to when he, too, suffered the weight of his weakness:

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.…”

We are strong because we reflect His image and power, not our own. How humbling.. and relieving that feels.