Trust Brings Confidence

By Patty Knittel

I wasn't lucky enough to have a bicycle with training wheels. Therefore, I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was seven. I was blessed to have two teenage girls help me on a bike that was really too big for me, but I got it after many tries. Of course, I couldn't reach the seat, so I was standing on the pedals!

I remember the girls shouting encouragement to me as I took off. One of them ran beside me and gradually quit holding onto the seat. But, they didn't let go until I seemed to have the confidence to go it alone.

God held Moses' hand at first when He called him out of the desert. He provided Aaron as a partner, and performed powerful miracles to free the Israelites. Moses actually developed such a confidence that he forgot where the power was coming from one day. It wasn't coming only from his rod. He thought he could bring forth water from the rock his way, without God, so he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God had instructed him to. (See Numbers 20:7-12)

Although God wanted Moses to have the confidence to lead His people to the Promised Land, He also expected Moses to put his complete trust in Him and obey Him. Overconfidence cost him entrance to the place they were all striving to reach.

Sometimes, I go about my day confident that I know all the appointments I have and what I need to accomplish. But, I may forget to spend time with God in the morning because my mind is on my list of things to do. Just imagine how much more confident I would be if I took God along with me. Who better to have on my side? It's like having the tallest player on our basketball team! Well, God can be our best ally in every way.

Patty Knittel writes from Walla Walla, Washington. knittels@charter.net