Cultivating Confidence from the Lord: in LIFE, through TRIALS, as ENTREPRENEURS

By Karen Lindwall-Bourg

Book 1 of Cultivating Confidence from the Lord: in Life, through Trials, as Entrepreneurs is written by members of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs (https://nacwe.com).

NACWE is a connected community of like-minded, women entrepreneurs, founded to facilitate a space for networ

• Language: English
• Publisher: RHEMA Publishing House
• Release date: Mar 3, 2023
• ISBN: 9798985155013

Karen Lindwall-Bourg

Karen Lindwall-Bourg is the Founder of and Counseling Supervisor at RHEMA Counseling Associates. She is an inspired writer, speaker, Biblical Counselor, coach, and consultant & Texas LPC supervisor leading families, couples, and individuals who are overwhelmed or grieved by life's demands toward inspired and insightful solutions based on the Word of God (rhema) that glorify and honor the Lord along life's journey. She loves her blossoming blended family and raises Great Pyrenees (Gentle Giants) to care for her Texas ranch!

Book preview

Introduction:

Such Confidence We Have Through Christ Toward God

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.

2 Corinthians 3:4 (NASB)

Our Confidence is in HIM

With conviction, I can confidently say true confidence comes from the Lord and from no other source.

Early in our year—as Christian women, as we sought the Lord on the topic of confidence in life, through trials, and as entrepreneurs—someone asked, Isn’t confidence the same as faith? Without writing a scholarly treatise on the comparison of these two words throughout the scriptures, I think I can safely say that confidence in God encompasses faith and so much more.

I’ll leave the faith and confidence dissertation to someone else for now. And I encourage you to dive deep into your own study. Peruse this book and other books in the Cultivating Confidence series and take advantage of the many offerings on the topic of confidence from members of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs (NACWE). https://nacwe.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/nacwe

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:26 (NASB)

What is Confidence?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions will surely encourage you.

Confidence... According to the World

Confidence is support, particularly in a legislative body. A vote of confidence holds more weight, especially when that vote is unanimous.

It is a communication made in secret. Information shared in confidence is only shared with another or with a select few. It encompasses reliance on another’s discretion. None of us wants to betray confidence. You want to be trusted. And when you tell a story in strictest confidence, you rely on the other to be discreet. Hopefully, it’s a reciprocal relationship.

Confidence is a relation of trust or intimacy. You take each other into your confidence. I take my friend into my confidence.

It is a firm belief in the integrity, ability, effectiveness, or genuineness of someone or something. You place deep confidence, credence, and stock in your wise counselors and coaches. You wouldn’t ask them for wise advice if you were uncertain of their wisdom.

Confidence is a quality or state of being certain; it is a state of mind in which you are free from doubt. I am confident and assured and certain with conviction that God’s Words will not return void. He tells me so! Disbelief will cause me to hesitate to follow Him.

It is a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or a reliance on one’s circumstances. I have perfect confidence that God will use the words in this anthology to encourage you.

Confidence is having great faith in oneself or one’s abilities. I hope you have self-confidence—even a lifelong confidence—that enables you to achieve remarkable things despite powerful obstacles. Self-doubts hinder you from being who God has called you to be and doing what He has called you to do.

It is faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way. NACWE sisters had confidence in me as their president for five years. I have confidence in Heather as our new NACWE president.

... According to the Lord

How do our dictionary definitions compare to God's use of the word confidence throughout the Old and New Testaments?

I have every confidence that God’s definitions of confidence will greatly inspire and encourage you.

In the scriptures, you are discouraged from putting trust in man, and you are encouraged to put your trust in God alone. You desire to be trustworthy as followers of Christ and to find others in whom you can trust.

There are seven different original lexicon words in Hebrew in the Old Testament for the word confidence:¹

From the Old Testament, we learn...

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:26 (NASB)

You are to put your confidence in God.

In 2 Kings 18:19–22, King Hezekiah was credited with confidence and trust in the Lord God as he reigned over Judah and was victorious against the enemy’s invasion. Even the King of Assyria noticed and remarked on this confidence.

Job trusted in, feared, and revered God and was a man of integrity. Job 4:6 (ESV) says, Is not your fear of God your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope? Job trusted in God alone, not in gold or wealth, or the sun or moon, or in his own heart or hand. In fact, he said that to trust in gold or wealth, or the sun or moon, or in his own heart or hand, was to deny God above (Job 31: 24–28). See also Psalm 65.

Psalm 118:8–9 tells us it is better to trust in the Lord than to place confidence in man or in princes.

It is our confidence that through the pages of this and other Cultivating Confidence anthologies, you will steadfastly place your confidence in God.

Confidence in God comes with reward.

Your foot will not be caught (Proverbs 3:26). You will have refuge (Proverbs 14:26). You will be saved and strengthened (Isaiah 30:15).

It is our prayer that through these readings, you will reap amazing rewards from the Lord for your confidence!

God caused men to put their confidence in His trustworthy leaders.

In Judges 9:26, the men of Shechem put their confidence in Gaal, the son of Ebed.

It is our hope that you will connect with others worthy of your confidence and trust, and that others will place utmost confidence in you.

There are seven different original lexicon words in Greek in the New Testament for the word confidence:²

3954 παῤῥησία parrhesia

4006 πεποίθησις pepoithesis

3982 πείθω peitho

2292 θαῤῥέω tharrheo

4183 πολύς polus

5026 ταύτῃ taute

5287 ὑπόστασις hupostasis

From the New Testament, we learn:

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

1 John 5:14–15 (NASB)

You will be empowered, comforted, and led by the Lord.

Consider Paul’s teachings in his books inspired by the Holy Spirit:

Confidence in the Lord will empower you to preach and teach the Gospel unhindered and with openness. (Acts 28:25–31; 2 Corinthians 1:15–24; Philippians 1, 2 Thessalonians 3). Confidence in the Lord will affirm your love for God and for others and complete your joy and the joy of others whom you serve and exhort (2 Corinthians 2:2–3; 2 Thessalonians 3; 1 John 3). Your ministry will be commended (2 Corinthians 6). Like Paul, you will be meek and gentle and bold with confidence as you work for the Lord (2 Corinthians 10, especially 2 Corinthians 10:1–2). You will be confident that in weakness and in strength the Lord will use you to further His Kingdom (2 Corinthians 11).

Your heart will be comforted, your spirit will be refreshed, you will rejoice, and you will have confidence in those you serve (2 Corinthians 7, especially 2 Corinthians 7:16). You will receive grace and generosity from those you serve (2 Corinthians 8, especially 2 Corinthians 8:22).

My goodness! 2 Corinthians seems to be the confidence book of the Bible!

In confidence, you will be led by and walk in the Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5). You will have a boldness for stewardship and confident access through faith in Him and will not lose heart (Ephesians 3). Your life goal will be to worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, to know Christ Jesus as Lord, and press onward (Philippians 3). You will realize and receive a great reward in confidence (Hebrews 10:35).

It is our confidence that through the pages of this and other Cultivating Confidence anthologies, you will trust in and serve the Lord with new found assurance.

It is our hope that through the pages of this and other Cultivating Confidence anthologies, you will love and minister to others as He did.

You will have assurance.

Consider John’s teachings in his books inspired by the Holy Spirit:

In confidence, you will have assurance that whatever you ask of the Lord, you will receive (1 John 3:21). You will be confident of and convinced of eternal life (1 John 2:28).

We trust that through the pages of this and other Cultivating Confidence anthologies, you will grow in faith with a newfound certainty in who God is and in who He has created you to be and what He has called you to do to further His Kingdom in your life, through various trials, and as entrepreneurs in business and ministry.

In this Book 1 of our Cultivating Confidence Series you’ll read about gaining confidence

through the wisdom of Proverbs

in your God-given calling

with a vision aligned with His

as you surrender to God’s call

to reframe your mindset

in the midst of warfare

with a confident crown

in financial stewardship and ownership

with newfound freedom

in God’s plan for prosperity through the seven dimensions of health

reaping the rewards of confidence in God while navigating life transitions with confidence

Cultivating Confidence in LIFE

Under this banner, in future books in the series, we’ll talk about cultivating confidence in life to know God; to ask, seek, and knock when we need Him; to hear Him, believe Him, and obey Him; to understand His love for us; to invite Him in and ask with anticipation instead of expectation; to ask others for help; to accept the Lord’s assignment for us, to be who He called us to be and to do what He has called us to do; to align with His precepts; to assess our God-given calling or mandate and reaffirm that purpose frequently; to understand our identity in Christ; to build on our God-given strengths; to affirm everything through His word and His people; to live and work under grace; to rest in Him; to put on the whole armor of God to prepare; to act in faith, hope, love, and love for His people; to have an attitude of gratitude; to steward all He has entrusted to us; to make Him known; and to trust Him with the results of our life! Contact us if there is another area in which confidence is desired.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 (NASB)

Cultivating Confidence through TRIALS

Under this banner, we’ll talk about needing confidence from the Lord through various trials such as through self-discovery and self-improvement; in understanding feelings, values, and worth; for peacekeeping and peacemaking; for forgiveness; through difficult life events that cause grief, bereavement, and loss such as the death of a loved one, job loss, physical illness, conflict, and conflict resolution; through mental health issues such as pride, fear and worry, desire, abuse, addictions and compulsion, anxiety and panic, anger, boundaries, depression, guilt and shame, habits and behaviors, narcissism, and stress; and understanding the will of God through transitions and decision making, like the transition through college and career or from corporate to entrepreneurship, marriage relationships and parenting, semi-retirement and retirement (or re-firement), and more. In what other challenges of life do you need confidence? Feel free to reach out to us.

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NASB)

Cultivating Confidence as ENTREPRENEURS

Under this banner, we’ll talk about growing in godly confidence in business and ministry, to build a connected community; to hear, believe, and respond to obey God in business and ministry; identity and enemies of identity; influence and impact; messaging, branding, and building; working God’s way fundamentals; our assignment and unique calling; alignment with His precepts; kingdom marketing, sales, sales conversations, closing the sale, pricing with purpose, client engagement, confrontation, generosity, and collaboration without competition; unlearning things that don’t align with working God’s way; cooperating with the greatness of God; saying yes, saying no; and more. What else can you think of that will help you grow in confidence and serve the Lord?

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NASB)

We’d love to help you cultivate confidence from the Lord in life, through trials, and as entrepreneurs. We’d love to hear testimonies of God-confidence from you. And, if you’ve been called by God to share words of confidence with others, we’d love to feature you in one of our next books in our Cultivating Confidence series. Please reach out to Karen Lindwall-Bourg at [e-mail].

Now, let us take this opportunity in the next chapters to encourage you to gain confidence from the Lord.

Endnotes

1, 2: https://strongsconcordance.org

Chapter 1

Proverbs 3:26 - The Lord is Your Confidence

Karen Lindwall-Bourg

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Proverbs 3:26 (NASB)

Where do you find confidence from God in life, in general?

How do you seek and increase confidence from the Lord as you suffer various trials?

What are some ways you cultivate confidence from the Lord as a Christian entrepreneur wanting to work God’s way?

Women of the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs (NACWE) chose Proverbs 3:26 (NASB) as our key verse for the year: For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. And the blessings that have poured from these words are too numerous to count. Let’s continue to seek confidence from the Lord together.

We are to Intentionally Seek Confidence from the Lord

Hebrews 10:35 says, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward (NASB). Wow! If this confidence which comes from the Lord can be thrown away, you must exercise great caution. And you conversely now know that you are to hold, keep, and even preserve and protect the confidence He offers you.

Cultivating confidence from the Lord to be who He has called you to be and to do what He has called you to do isn’t a passive process. It’s a very active and intentional and