Pulitzer Prize-winning American author John Steinbeck felt like an imposter when others praised his work. Artist Leonardo Da Vinci was known for abandoning projects he thought fell short. Winston Churchill faced significant criticism during his political career, forcing him into periods of self-doubt.
Superstar musicians, famous actors, political leaders, killer athletes—so many people we admire today struggled with low self-confidence throughout their careers.
Pinterest has a lot to say about that:
“If you believe in yourself, anything is possible.“
“She needed a hero, so she became one.“
“Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable.“
“Your only limit is your mind.“
Sounds like a pep rally for self-confidence, right? But if you’re like me, you’ve had times when you believed in yourself, put in all the hard work, fought hard to achieve…and flat-out failed. Sometimes, all the pep talks, all the self-help books in the local library, and all the Pinterest quotes in the world cannot make you believe in yourself, and that is a terrifying place to be.
That’s why believing in yourself is not enough.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
=In This Article
When Self-Confidence Is Deadly: David & Goliath
David was merely a boy when he approached Goliath in battle. Remember what he said?
“Bring it on! If there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself. I’m gonna slay me a giant.”
Not quite. In this moment that defined David for all of history, he wasn’t packing self-confidence.
“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands…”
1 Samual 17:45-46
There is no self-confidence in that statement, only confidence in God. Who are we kidding? David went up against a human behemoth with a stone. It doesn’t matter that he had a killer aim with the slingshot. The only reason Goliath died that day was because God wanted him to—and David knew it. God allowed him to be an important participant in Goliath’s fall but it was still God who worked it.
I guarantee if David had carried an air of self-confidence that day, the outcome would have been drastically different.
Take a moment to consider whether self-confidence is really what you want. Do you want to be completely confident in your own weak humanity? Or would you rather have confidence in the One who truly can conquer anything?
You Shall Have No Other Gods
When God spoke the first commandment, he wasn’t just talking about golden calves or statues made of stone. Anything you put concentrated amounts of faith in can become a god, including yourself. (See my post What is Your Modern Day Golden Calf?) But he didn’t forbid this because he’s egotistical. This is to your benefit.
A ship once considered unsinkable is now resting under nearly 13,000 feet of water.
If you only believe in yourself, a human limited to natural attributes and power, you’re not only taking a risky gamble but you’re missing out. You might be very good at what you do but one day you will put your faith in self, and self will fail. A ship once considered unsinkable is now resting under nearly 13,000 feet of water after one of the most famous tragedies in history. Believing in its ability to float didn’t save the 1,500-plus people who died that night.
Failure is a sobering experience. It means coming to grips with the very fact that you are not God and believing in yourself is not enough.
The first commandment—you shall have no other gods—also holds a promise.
Put your faith in me above all else, and you will have access to the highest power available.
Believing in Yourself is Not Enough: Be Like the Trees
Maybe this is the quote you should frame and hang on your bedroom wall:
The secret to the life of a tree is that it remains rooted in something deeper and other than itself.
Root your faith in something greater than yourself and you can be assured that someone stronger will pick you up and carry you through. True greatness is found in a higher power—God’s power.
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Believing in yourself is not enough but you can go all the way and be more than you ever imagined if you believe in what God can do through someone like you.
God-Confidence: More Effective Than Self-Confidence
What Goliaths are you trying to slay with a meager stone? The confidence you should seek is not self-confidence but confidence in who you are because you belong to Jesus. This is God-confidence, and the coolest thing about God-confidence is you no longer need to fear failure. You can fall knowing he’ll catch you before you hit the ground and turn it into something beautiful.
Bible Verses That Build Confidence in God
The Bible is stuffed with verses to help build confidence in the right source. These are just a few:
- The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. -Psalm 27:1, 3
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
- Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. -Psalm 42:5
- “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8
Romans 8:31-39 and Psalm 121 are more go-to places in the Bible for when you are ready to be rooted in something greater than yourself. Another favorite is Philippians 4:13, which I examine more closely in How to Overcome Failure: The Bottom Line of Philippians 4:13.
Don’t fret if you lack self-confidence. Put your confidence in God and his work in you.
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”
from the hymn “My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less”
Dig Deeper: More Resources for Teens
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
If your struggle with low self-confidence stems from body image issues:
- Proverbs 31: How to Rise Above the Seduction of Unattainable Beauty
- For a Positive Body Image, Start With The Truth
Be reminded of who you are and where your confidence stems from:
- Your Identity is in Christ: See How God Sees You
- 8 Bible Verses For When You Feel Worthless
- Priceless: Hope for Young Christians Struggling With Low Self-Esteem
Resources to help young Christians develop mental toughness:
- Tame Your Nerves: How to Overcome Performance Anxiety
- What is Genuine Confidence—And Where Can I Get Some?
- Real Toughness Redefined: How to Develop a Strong Mind
- Positive Self-Talk For Christian Teens: Words That Actually Work
