Write His Answer

Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately? I have.

Two weeks ago we discovered mold in our bathroom from a leak hidden behind the shower wall. “How much is this going to cost?” I asked contractors, electricians, and plumbers.

In the midst of all this, I spent a day at the courthouse waiting to hear if I had been selected for a trial they anticipated would last six days. Thank You, Father, that I was not chosen! And thank You our USAA homeowner’s insurance covered $2,464 of the repairs after initially telling us it was doubtful we’d get anything. We’re still out over $2,000 with our deductible and work not covered, but it could have  been much more costly.

Stressful? Yes! Time consuming? You bet! On Friday our home was a scene out of ET with plastic sheeting from floor to ceiling between our bathroom and front door. Today the walls go back up, tomorrow the tile, and Thursday the grouting of the shower walls.

Tomorrow I’ll also spend over an hour in the dentist chair for a root canal of a top front tooth that is abscessing from tripping up one step and falling on a ceramic moose over a month ago. More unexpected expense, but thank You, Father, for helping me find a dental plan that will cover some of the cost.

So, yes, I’m feeling overwhelmed especially with the need to get the May 17-20 Colorado and July 26-29 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conferences planned. I’ve finally got the spreadsheet of prospective faculty updated, but with over 450 names I’m even more overwhelmed.

The bottom line? Despite 33 years directing the Philly conference and 20 years directing the one in Colorado, the evil one is again pulling me down into the quicksand of self-doubt. And I’m feeling especially anxious this week with the need to sign the contract and pay the $2,500 booking fee for the 2019 (yes,  you read that correctly) Colorado conference.

I’m again experiencing a “crisis of confidence.” Perhaps you are too.

If a crisis of confidence is holding you back from the work you know you have been called to do, it’s time to acknowledge that it’s not self-confidence you need (and I need) but God-confidence. It’s time to learn what it means “to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off [our] own power and abilities” (2 Cor. 12:9 TLB). And instead of running from opportunities to serve the Lord, we need to continue to focus on the “firm, tested, precious Cornerstone that is safe to build on. He who believes need never run away again” (Isa. 28:16 TLB).

Fear of failure, rejection, writer’s block, or not measuring up, can all create a paralyzing crisis of confidence. Read and reflect on the following antidotes to fear, noting how God is personally speaking to you.

Psalm 9:10
Psalm 16:8
Psalm 25:3
Psalm 34:4
Isaiah 41:10
Philippians 1:6
1 John 4:18
___________

How is God speaking to you through these passages?

I’ve devoted a chapter in my book, Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers, to the “Crisis of Confidence.” You’ll find it and several other chapters on my website at http://bit.ly/2h1qgs2.