“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”

— Psalm 20:7

Let’s say you’ve come up against the toughest trial of your life, an obstacle many others have failed to overcome. (Maybe you’re facing it today.) What’s your first response? Do you forge ahead, or do you fall to your knees?

Israel faced an obstacle too big for its own might to overcome; his name was Goliath. All of the armies of Israel had self-confidence until they faced this giant. Then where did their selfconfidence go? It failed them. But one young man, David, completely lacked self-confidence. He had another kind of confidence—confidence in the living God. David said to Goliath, “I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts . . . whom thou hast defiled.” When everyone else cowered in fear, David, the boy whose confidence was in God, went forth to victory.

We all need confidence. But the question at hand is: “Confidence in whom?” If we rely on our own power, we lean upon a weak reed indeed. When we have confidence in ourselves, two things invariably follow: (1) If we succeed, we become prideful, and (2) if we fail, we are cast into despair and depression.

We live in a day when hundreds of books and seminars preach self-confidence. But these messages fly in the face of God’s Word, which declares, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength” (Jeremiah 17:5). Self-confidence is a snare and an illusion.

How much better to trust the One who made you than to trust in yourself. Confidence in God delivers us from pride by giving us gratitude to God for victory in our lives. It delivers us from despair because we know that whatever comes to pass, God will work it together for our good. Those who trust in God go through life with a certain tranquility that allows them to pass over the rough spots of life virtually undisturbed. We need to trust in God not only for our eternal salvation but also for the everyday affairs of our lives. When we would fail ourselves, God will never disappoint us.

Are you facing a Goliath in your life today? Like David, place your confidence in God, and wait for your victory through Him.

“Jesus never fails.”
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