“Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward.” Heb 10: 35
Confidence is one of the blessed experiences of a born again child of God. It refers to many things – our trust, boldness, stability etc. A confident person is strong, positive, happy and free. Such ought to be the condition of every Christian. He should be confident, bold, strong and not easily troubled.
In the Lord
Remember, its not trusting in our own strength, resources or ability. It’s not positive thinking or feeling good either. Confidence in self is futile and even destructive. Phil 3: 8. Our strength and courage derives from the Lord Jesus Christ. 2Coir 3: 4, 5; Eph 3: 12.
It is He who makes us strong, His presence and promises assures and empowers us. He answers all our questions. We are able to cast all our care upon Him for the Lord cares for us. 1Peter 5: 7. It is through Him we are more than conquerors, and able to do all things. Rom 8: 37; Phil 4:13. What a great privilege indeed. As we grow in our understanding of the Lord and His wonderful works for us, we grow in our confidence. Psa 20: 6; 27: 1 – 3.
Guard it
Nevertheless, we need to pay attention to what the writer of Hebrews says in 10: 35. “Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward.” Notice two things.
1. Our confidence level can go down. “Cast away”
If we are not careful enough we may end up without that real joy, peace, courage or self-assurance as every Christian ought to experience. Of course our salvation will not be lost. John 10: 28. But the joy of salvation, freedom of spirit may go. Why? Notice some reasons.
a. Lack of knowledge of God and His word.Just as our understanding of God and His work reassures us, ignorance of it weakens us. That’s why the regular meditation of God’s word is imperative for us. Rom 10: 17
b. Self-confidence. Confidence in our own ability and resources leads to utter failure and that result in depression. Experience of Peter should warn us. Matt 14: 30, 31; Luk 22: 33, 34.
c. Influence of unbelievers. Confidence is contagious, so is its absence. Friendship with a fearful, cynical and depressed person will make us also the same. That’s exactly what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness. Num 13: 31. We should be wise to discern the negative attitude of certain people and be away for the sake of our spiritual life and strength! That does not mean we should have nothing to do with weak or depressed fellow - believers. We can try to help them; however we should make sure we are not wrongly affected by their attitude.
2. Our confidence has great reward.
What does it mean? It may have a reference to our future reward but the context and experience suggest that primarily it refers to the outcome of our confidence today. Our confident, positive attitude affects not only our own daily life, but the lives of others also. Our success as well as of our associates depend much on our confidence!
Saint’s example
All the great men of the Bible were confident. In spite of the adverse circumstances they faced, it was their unwavering trust in the Lord that made all the difference in their life and activity. Think of Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Nehemiah, Daniel and friends, Peter and Paul etc. The impact of their bold life and service is beyond description. The Lord in His sovereign will and wisdom dealt with them in such a way that they became men of valour, assurance and strength. Cf. Jos 4: 12; 1Sam 17: 32; Neh 6: 11; Dan 3: 16, 17; Heb 11: 33; Act 4: 13; 2Cori 6: 9, 10; Phil 4: 12, 13; 2Tim 1: 12.
Let us not take our faith and peace of mind lightly. Many do not have it. They are depressed, discouraged and plagued with so much personality complexes. But God has graciously pardoned all our sins and made us new. The Spirit of God indwells us to guide, teach and equip us. We enjoy His unfailing presence and immeasurable grace. What a wonderful privilege indeed!
Keep growing
Even as we gratefully acknowledge such work of God in us, we must continue to grow in the knowledge of God’s word that can keep us strong. Cf. Psa 73: 23, 24; Rom 10: 17; Heb 3: 17. Associate with saints who trust the Lord. Act 27: 22 – 25. As the Lord gives opportunity, be ready to serve Him. 1Tim 3: 13.
It is the work of the enemy to dishearten and weaken us. He is not happy to see that we are strong, happy and boldly face life. “Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward.”
Overconfidence
In July, 1911 a stuntman called Bobby Leach went over Niagara Falls in a specially designed steel drum. Although he suffered minor injuries, he survived because he recognized the tremendous dangers involved in the feat and had done everything he could to protect himself from harm.
Several years later, while skipping down the street in New Zealand, Bobby Leach slipped on an orange peeling, fell, and badly fractured his leg. He was taken to a hospital where he later died of complications from that fall. He received a greater injury walking down the street than he sustained in going over Niagara.
