© 2011 by Renee Swope

Published by Revell Publishing
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
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E-book edition created 2011

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ISBN 978-1-4412-1364-8

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Cover

Copyright

Introduction

Day 1: Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence

Day 2: Beat Up or Built Up?

Day 3: Trigger Points

Day 4: Sometimes Worry Makes Me Wonder

Day 5: Nothing Special to Offer

Day 6: Measuring Up

Day 7: Getting Up Again

Healthy Spiritual Snacks from The 7-Day Doubt Diet

About the Book

About the Author

About Proverbs 31 Ministries

The 7-Day Doubt Diet

A Devotional Companion for A Confident Heart

Welcome to The 7-Day Doubt Diet. Perhaps you’ve heard about A Confident Heart and you’re wondering what it’s all about. The 7-Day Doubt Diet includes seven foundational truths from the book so you can take a peek inside—and also experience the freedom that comes when we lose unhealthy emotional and spiritual weight caused by self-doubt.

Or maybe you’ve already read A Confident Heart and want more encouragement. I wrote The 7-Day Doubt Diet for you too. As you read these devotions for the next week, you’ll be reminded of core truths from the book and equipped with daily life applications to live with a confident heart.

I want to make sure you know A Confident Heart is not a diet book. It’s about replacing our lack of self-confidence with lasting God-confidence as we learn how to live in the power of His promises every day. However, The 7-Day Doubt Diet is a companion devotional to my book, and I will be using the analogy of a diet to help us overcome self-doubts that weigh us down.

Scripture often draws a parallel between eating food and our spiritual need for God’s Word. For instance, in Isaiah 55 God asks, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” And then He invites us to come to Him instead: “Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live” (vv. 2–3 NIV).

With this parallel in mind, each day we’ll have a key verse that I call our “Food for Thought.” Also, I’ve included a “Doubt Diet Tip” at the end of each devotion to help us remember that day’s message and apply it in our personal lives.

Before we get started, be sure to read Chapter 1 of A Confident Heart by clicking here. It will lay an important foundation and I’ll refer back to it in some of the devotions. Also, I encourage you to invite a few friends, co-workers, or family members to join us. Just like when we go on a food diet, having the encouragement of others goes a long way. I’d love to have them along!

Renee

Day 1

Do Not Throw Away Your Confidence

Taken in part from chapters 1 and 6

Food for Thought: So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Heb. 10:35–36 NIV)

One night I was cleaning the kitchen and threw away this little rubber thingy that was on our countertop. Suddenly I realized it was the power button for our TV remote control. As I dug through the trash to find it, I regretted how quickly I’d thrown it away. Then, as I reached to pull it out, I sensed God showing me that’s how easily I throw away my confidence—without even recognizing it.

It’s usually very subtle. Sometimes I’ll be thinking about something I want to do or sense God calling me to do, and a feeling of uncertainty comes over me and whispers to my heart, You can’t do that. You’re not good enough. Out of the blue, I’ll just get that awful, insecure feeling.

Too many times I go along with it, tossing my confidence into the trash without even thinking about it.

For the longest time, I didn’t tell anyone about my lack of confidence because I figured if I told them all the reasons I doubted myself, they’d see my flaws and agree with me. Honestly, I was convinced I was the only one who struggled with doubt.

However, I didn’t call it doubt. Maybe you don’t either. Sometimes I called it worry—worry that I was going to disappoint someone, worry that I might make a mistake and get criticized for it, worry that I might start something but not be able to finish.

Other times I’d call it fear—fear that I wouldn’t measure up, fear that I’d look stupid, fear that I’d look prideful thinking I could do something special for God. What I’ve realized over the past several years is that these feelings may end up as fear or worry, but their source is self-doubt.

Looking back, I see a pattern in my thinking that led to the pattern of my doubting. As a child I thought I wasn’t worth keeping. My insecurity kept me from riding amusement park rides because I doubted my dad would wait for me. In school, I doubted I was smart enough and avoided some great opportunities because they came with the risk of failure. As a young bride, I doubted my husband’s faithfulness, although he gave me no reason to fear. Our newlywed memories include a lot of arguments about trust.

What about you? Do you ever agree with the whispers of doubt and throw away confidence that should be yours as a child of God? Are you tired of questioning whether you have what it takes to become the woman you want to be, or the woman God is calling you to be?

The first step to living with a confident heart is for us to recognize the power we give to self-doubt, then stand up to it and claim the confidence that is ours through Christ. That is what we’ll be doing for the next seven days as we learn to live in the security of God’s promises each day. To get started, let’s ask God to show us when we throw away our confidence this week, and help us throw off the weight of our insecurities instead.

Lord, I want to become a woman with a confident heart in Christ. Show me how to recognize when I’m tempted to throw away my confidence, and help me throw away my insecurity instead. I want to persevere in your truth so that when I have done the will of God, I will receive what You have promised. I don’t want to be a woman who shrinks back and is destroyed but one who believes and is saved. When doubt or insecurity tells me I can’t do something, I will remember that all things are possible to her who believes. In Jesus’ name, Amen. (See Hebrews 10:35–36, 39; Mark 9:23)

Doubt Diet Tip: When you start a diet or physical training plan, experts recommend you complete a Body Mass Index analysis to determine if you are overweight, underweight, or in a healthy weight range. I’ve created a “Doubt Index Analysis” to help you determine how much self-doubt is weighing you down by identifying your most common doubts and how they affect you.

Download “Doubt Index Analysis”

Sample Chapter

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Day 2

Beat Up or Built Up?

Taken in part from chapter 6

Food for Thought: What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom. 8:31 NIV)

One morning I woke up feeling beat up by discouragement. My mind was being bullied by thoughts of doubt. I can’t do it all! I am not cut out to be a wife, mom, and leader of an organization that ministers to women all around the world! My thoughts were against me, and my feelings were too.

As I lay in bed feeling completely inadequate, my radio alarm came on. Suddenly my thoughts were interrupted by Twila Paris singing to me. With confident assurance, she spoke truth to my soul, telling me this was no time for fear, but a time for faith and determination. She challenged me not to lose my vision or be carried away by my emotions, but to hold on to all that I had hidden in my heart, and all I believed to be true. Then she reminded me of the most important truth of all: God is in control.[1]

As I heard these words, my thoughts were aligned with God’s truth. It changed my whole perspective. I went from feeling afraid to feeling determined and from feeling out of control to knowing God is in control. I was glad I had set my radio to a Christian station the night before, so I would be awakened by encouraging music and truth that morning.

We have the choice either to let doubt beat us up or to let God’s truth build us up. If we have Christ in us, we have full access to God’s power and His promises to live with a confident heart. But it won’t just happen because it’s possible. We have to take action. Just as I had to tune my radio to encouraging music, we need to get intentional about tuning our thoughts to God’s thoughts toward us, every day.

In the same way a radio has AM and FM frequencies, so do our thoughts. They are either AM (against me) thoughts or FM (for me) thoughts. The truth is, we are often our worst critics and have a lot of AM thoughts. And if our thoughts are against us, our feelings will be too.

When thoughts and feelings of doubt come, stop and ask God for His perspective. Compare your thoughts to His thoughts, reflected in Scripture. Do they match? If not, look for a promise in God’s Word to replace the lie that has filled your heart with doubt. Here are two AM and FM thoughts to help you get started:

When doubt comes against me, saying I’m weak and all alone, I will focus on the truth that God is for me! I can be strong and courageous because the Lord my God is with me. He will never leave me nor forsake me (Deut. 31:6).

When doubt comes against me, saying I’m not good enough for a certain role or position, I will remember that God is for me! He says I am His masterpiece, created to be new in Christ so that I could do good things He planned long ago (Eph. 2:10).

Lord, thank You that in Christ I am a chosen woman, a royal priest, a holy daughter, a woman belonging to God. Remind me that I have been called out of the darkness to declare Your glorious light. I pray that You would teach me how to rely on the power of Your promises and remember that You, my God, go with me, to fight for me against my enemies of insecurity and inadequacy and give me victory. In all these things, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. (See 1 Peter 2:9; Deuteronomy 20:4; Romans 8:37)

Doubt Diet Tip: When you go on a regular diet, it’s helpful to start a food journal to keep track of what you’re eating. That way you can notice unhealthy habits and find healthy alternatives. This week, I encourage you to start a “thought” journal to keep track of what you’re thinking so you can identify unhealthy “against me” thoughts and replace them with healthy “for me” thoughts.

More AM/FM Thoughts

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Day 3

Trigger Points

Taken in part from chapter 5

Food for Thought: The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have .… Am I not sending you?” (Judg. 6:14 NIV)

Wouldn’t it be great if becoming a Christian meant that all of our doubts and fears went away? Have you ever wondered why you still struggle with insecurities and self-doubts while knowing you are a child of God?

Maybe you’ve sensed God leading you to participate in a ministry, but doubt has convinced you that you’re not smart enough or gifted enough. Perhaps you wanted to have kids, and now you have a family but you doubt you really have what it takes to be a good mom. Or maybe you’ve wanted to change jobs and now have the opportunity to do just that. But you don’t want to go because you’re afraid of failing at something new.

In chapter 1 of A Confident Heart, I describe the day I discovered the shadow of my doubt. After begging God to zap me with confidence and realizing it wasn’t going to happen, I asked Him to give me His perspective and show me what had made me start feeling so insecure and uncertain.

I thought about Gideon, another man who was called by God but paralyzed by fear and feelings of inadequacy. From reading his story in Judges 6, I knew Gideon had overcome his doubts and fears by focusing on what God thought about him, instead of what he thought about himself.

But, he also processed his doubts with God in a very honest way. He told the angel of the Lord that he questioned God’s presence and doubted His promises because of recent conflicts and defeats with his enemies, the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord called him a warrior and told him to go out and defeat the Midianites, Gideon’s insecurities started shouting excuses, listing all his inadequacies.

One thing that triggered Gideon’s doubt was his perception of himself. He turned to the angel, and asked, “But how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (Judg. 6:15). Gideon believed his family was the weakest and he was the runt of them all. Damaged emotions and insecurities from our past have a powerful influence over how we see ourselves today.

As I stood there in my bathroom, I knew I needed to get honest with God too. I needed more than just a quick fix. I wanted to figure out what triggered my self-doubts. I thought back on the events of my week and remembered a conflict with a friend that made me doubt I should even be in women’s ministry. After all, my doubt whispered, if you can’t maintain healthy relationships at all times in all areas, how can you help others?

I also received an email at work with feedback from recent events. There were several positive comments and one criticism. Forgetting the compliments, I couldn’t stop thinking about that one criticism. I’d also been comparing my abilities to other speakers who had been booked for an upcoming event with me. Self-doubt convinced me I wasn’t as gifted as they were.

Conflict, criticism, and comparison are three triggers that lead me into that yucky place of uncertainty. What about you? When conflict arises at work or at home, do you ever assume it disqualifies you from other ministries or callings? Does criticism ever paralyze you from believing you can do certain things? Or, has comparison ever convinced you that someone else can do it (whatever “it” is) better than you can?

Before that day in my bathroom, I thought insecurity was simply a negative emotion, a lapse of faith, a dip in self-confidence. I wanted God to take it away or heal me, but instead He taught me how to let my doubt lead me to a place of deeper dependence on Him.

When I find myself standing in the shadow of doubt, I ask Jesus to show me what triggered my emotions. Then I process that trigger point through the filter of God’s perspective and promises. I ask Him to show me what lie I believe that needs to be replaced with His truth. Then I ask Him to change the way I’m thinking, which changes the way I’m feeling, and eventually transforms the way I’m living.

Over time, I’ve learned to rely on God’s power to defeat my insecurities, which has empowered me to fulfill His calling on my life. And so can you! God calls us to live beyond the shadows of our doubts, but it is not as much about what He wants us to do as what He wants to do in us as we learn to completely depend on Him.

Lord, I want to rely on—and live in—the power of Your promises. Please show me when something triggers my self-doubt, and then help me focus on Your thoughts about me instead of my thoughts about myself. I’m so thankful that Your grace is sufficient for me and Your power is perfected in my weakness. Although my flesh and my heart may fail, You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9; Psalm 73:26)

Doubt Diet Tip: In the same way emotional triggers make us want to eat a half-gallon of ice cream or a whole bag of chips, we have emotional triggers that cause us to doubt ourselves. Ask God to show you your most common triggers and help you process them through the filter of His truth.

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Day 4

Sometimes Worry Makes Me Wonder

Taken in part from chapter 9

Food for Thought: She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” (Luke 10:40 NIV)

When life gets overwhelming, do you ever wonder if God notices and cares about everything you have going on—like how hard you’re trying to take care of your family, pay the bills, find time for Bible study, your marriage, and the ministry He’s called you to while working two jobs, caring for your aging parents, commuting to work, and carpooling your kids?

Several years ago, I started questioning if God noticed and cared about all I was doing. I wondered why He wasn’t taking better care of the details in my life so that things would run more smoothly. Some days I felt like He might be expecting too much of me. Like Martha, in today’s key verse, I thought things would go better if He’d arrange for a little more help in my life.

I finally got to a point where I was exhausted and ready to quit just about everything. Looking back now, I can see that I was doing a lot of good things, but not all of them were God’s things for me during that season of my life. The truth is I was serving God more than I was seeking God.

Eventually I ran out of fuel. I didn’t have enough energy to handle all of my roles, relationships, and responsibilities. I also ran out of faith, which made me start doubting my ability to manage my life, to hear God clearly, and to do all I assumed He wanted me to do.

My life was out of balance and so was my heart. I had taken on too many commitments, and I worried about all of them all of the time. I knew I should trust God more, but I was secretly afraid that if I stopped worrying about everything and everybody, He would too. And all that worry started making me weary.

One day, while reading my Bible, I noticed how Martha’s worries were making her weary, and making her wonder if Jesus cared that her sister left her in the kitchen all by herself to do all that work. Listen to how Jesus responded:

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41–42 NIV)

How do we choose what is better? How do we get the one thing that cannot be taken away from us—the confident peace and assurance that God notices and cares? First Peter 5:7 tells us: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (NLT).

And the apostle Paul tells us the same thing, with specific instructions:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6–7 NLT)

Oh, it sounds so doable, but why is it so hard? I think it’s because Satan whispers the opposite. He says, “Don’t be calm about anything; instead worry about everything. Tell God what He should do. Then take control if He doesn’t listen. And concerns that consume you will become like acid in your heart, eroding your confidence with worry and doubt!”

It’s time for us to stop listening to the enemy and start listening to God. When life weighs us down, let’s:

- Stop worrying—Press the pause button on our consuming concerns.

- Start praying—Talk to God about all we’re doing and ask Him if there’s anything we need to cut back so we have time to seek Him as much as we serve Him and others.

- Keep thanking God—Thank God for what He’s done in the past and will do in the future. This helps us remember how good He is at being God.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. When concerns consume me, remind me that You are with me, holding me by my right hand and guiding me with Your counsel. I want to seek You as much as I serve You and others. Help me balance my life and give my burdens to You, knowing with confidence that You care about me and are good at taking care of me! In Jesus’ name, Amen. (See Psalm 139:23; 73:23–26)

Doubt Diet Tip: Lose the weight of worry by “giving all your worries and cares to the Lord because He cares for you!” Write your concerns on an index card and give them to Jesus. I have a tabletop cross by my bedside where I lay my “concerns card.” Maybe you could get one too. Then, when you start worrying, go back and write your worries on your card, and commit once again to cast your cares upon the Lord.

More Peace-Giving Promises

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Day 5

Nothing Special to Offer

Taken in part from chapter 8

Food for Thought: For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Ps. 139:13 NIV)

I sat in the circle praying we’d run out of time before it was my turn. The facilitator of our team-building activity had asked our group to answer two questions: What do you love to do? If finances were unlimited and failure was impossible, what would be your dream?

I didn’t have any answers. But just in case I had to say something, I listened to everyone else describe their dreams, hoping to get ideas. One wanted to be the first female president of the United States. Another friend said she’d always wanted to sing in a Christian rock band. I knew I was in trouble.

I was thirty-two at the time and didn’t know who I was or what my dreams were. When everyone eventually looked to me for a response, I stumbled over my words. Then I finally admitted I didn’t really know what I loved to do.

Immediately self-doubt whispered, That is because dreams are for confident people who have something special to offer, and you don’t.

I’d never taken time to think about or answer those kinds of questions. Instead, I had tried to be who others wanted or needed me to be. But honestly, I wasn’t very good at it. I often had this uneasy feeling of just not being happy. And I was a constant candidate for burnout.

I realize now that I wasn’t living out the truth held in our key verse today: “[God] created my inmost being; [He] knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Ps. 139:13 NIV).

That day in the circle, after I fumbled around looking for an answer during team-building time, our facilitator encouraged me to ask God what His dreams were for my life. I took her advice and started the process of becoming the “real me” who had gotten buried in the busyness of life and people-pleasing.

As I read books that talked about discovering our passions, gifts, and personality traits, I started to identify what I liked. I recognized strengths that came naturally to me, and learned what I needed emotionally to encourage my heart.

For the first time, I realized there was an important reason I was who I was—with my passionate preferences and mixed bag of emotions. Instead of wanting me to be like women I knew and admired, I sensed that God wanted to use the unique way He made me. And I started to discover that I did have something special to offer, after all.

Isn’t it easy to neglect ourselves to meet the needs of everyone around us, and call it self-sacrifice? It sounds godly. But in doing so we risk shutting down a place in our soul where God’s dreams and gifts are waiting to be revealed. The truth is: you and I were not designed to be whom others expect us to be, or even want us to be. We were created to become all that God planned for us to be.

So, how well do you know the real you? Have you ever taken time to think about what you like to do? What personality traits, abilities, or experiences do you have? What would make your heart come alive if you had the confidence and resources to do it?

Although it might feel self-seeking, it’s actually God-seeking to take time to get to know the woman He created you to be. Remember, God had a plan in mind when He made you. He shaped you with purpose. When you surrender your unique passions, gifts, and personality to Him, God will use them to guide you toward His dreams for your life.

Lord, I want to know the woman You had in mind when You created my inmost being and knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful and I am one of them. I pray You would help me become the woman You created me to be. I don’t want to grow old and never know Your purpose for my life. Show me Your dreams for me so I can offer what You want to give to those around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. (See Psalm 139:13–14)

Doubt Diet Tip: We all have a natural body shape. I’m shaped like a pear; always have been, always will be. Even when I was a size 4—during a season of emotional turmoil—my thighs were thick and I didn’t like them. But this is the body God gave me and I’ve learned to work with it. In the same way God gives us a natural body shape physically, He also gives us a natural “body shape” spiritually, to equip us for His purpose in the body of Christ. Ask God to help you discover and love the “shape” He gave you!

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Day 6

Measuring Up

Taken in part from chapter 6

Food for Thought: When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (2 Cor. 10:12 NIV)

Do you ever compare yourself to others and feel like you don’t quite measure up? Maybe you think you’re not as smart, capable, personable, or as godly as they are?

It is so easy to think that if we had more or knew more, we’d be secure. But the truth is, even people who “have it all” still struggle with feelings of insecurity. The Bible opens with the story of a woman who had everything, but it wasn’t enough (Gen. 2).

God had established Eve’s worth as His child and the crown of His creation. He also gave Eve every woman’s desire: intimacy, beauty, security, significance, and purpose. Yet Satan conjured up feelings of insecurity by getting Eve to take her eyes off what she had and focus on what she didn’t have.

Boy, can I relate. Like Eve, I’ve heard Satan’s whispers telling me I’m not all I could be—or should be. Recently I was reading her story in Genesis 2. I noticed that his questions and suggestions were intended to plant seeds of doubt in Eve’s heart. He wanted her to doubt God and herself.

The enemy’s whispers tempted Eve to try to “be” more and “have” more by seeking significance apart from God’s provision. He convinced her something was missing in her life and that the forbidden fruit would make her “like God.”

It was a foolish comparison, but all comparisons are. Yet don’t we do it all the time? If only I was like her. . . if only I had a house like hers, a husband like hers, a job like hers . . . if only my children behaved like hers . . . If only ________, then I’d feel significant . . . satisfied . . . secure.

In today’s key verse, Paul warns us that those who “measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12 NIV). Comparison will always leave us feeling like we don’t measure up. We can try to do more and be more, yet it’s never enough.

If only Eve had focused on who she was and what she had as a child of God. If only we could too.

Yet Satan wants us to focus on our flaws and feelings of inadequacy, then exhaust our energy figuring out how to hide them. But we don’t have to go along with his schemes. Instead we can recognize his lies, refute his temptations with truth, and focus on God’s acceptance, security, and significance. Then we can thank God for His provision and His promises that remind us of who we are in Him.

I am accepted . . .

Ephesians 1:3–8

I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.

Colossians 1:13–14

I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.

Colossians 2:9–10

I am complete in Christ.

I am secure . . .

Romans 8:28

I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.

Romans 8:31–39

I am free from condemnation. I cannot be separated from God’s love.

Philippians 1:6

I am confident God will complete the good work He started in me.

I am significant . . .

Ephesians 2:10

I am God’s workmanship.

Ephesians 3:12

I may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Lord, thank You that I’m chosen, holy, and dearly loved. When I’m tempted to find my significance and security apart from Your provision and promises, help me recognize Satan’s lies, refuse his temptations and stand firm in my faith. Remind me that such confidence as this is mine through Christ—not that I am competent in myself to claim anything for myself, but competence comes from Him. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. (See Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 5:9; 2 Corinthians 3:4–5)

Doubt Diet Tip: When you’re tempted to use the measuring stick of comparison—be sure to measure UP↑ by focusing upward on Christ and who you are in HIM! “The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior (and beliefs) will begin to reflect your true identity!”[2]

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Day 7

Getting Up Again

Taken in part from chapters 7 and 12

Food for Thought: Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again. (Prov. 24:16 NIV)

I’ve always admired people who aren’t afraid to fail. You know, the ones who don’t even consider defeat when they blow it; people who see a personal setback as just another goal to conquer.

I’m not always so courageous. In fact, I can be really hard on myself when I fail, and it doesn’t even have to be a biggie. You see, I have what I call a “meanie in me” who replays my mistakes over and over, reminding me of how badly I’ve disappointed someone, or how impatient I was with my husband, or how harsh I was with my kids, or all sorts of ways that I fell short that day.

But the greatest defeat comes when I allow a mistake, a bad decision, a sin, or a broken relationship to convince me that I might as well give up. Perhaps you have also allowed failure to knock you down, tie you up with the ropes of regret, and hold you hostage like I have.

When I surveyed over twelve hundred women for my upcoming book, A Confident Heart, I discovered that our past failures, and our fear of failing again, are two of the biggest triggers that paralyze us with self-doubt.

Today’s key verse, Proverbs 24:16, has helped me release the regret, guilt, fear, and shame that have weighed me down and held me back. Take a minute to read it again now and notice how it says the righteous will fall. That is right. Even those of us who have received the gift of Christ’s righteousness and redemption will fall down. But we were never intended to stay down.

Instead of giving up, Jesus empowers us to get up again. In getting up, we can apologize and ask for forgiveness. In getting up, we can choose to try again with our kids, in our jobs, in our ministries, in our marriages, and in all of our mistakes. Because we trust that although we fall, God will help us up. Listen to His promise in Psalm 37:23–24, and as you read it, insert your name in the blanks:

The steps of _____________________ are established by the Lord, and He delights in _____________________ way. When _____________________ falls, _____________________ will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds _____________________ hand. (NASB)

When we get up again, failure actually helps us become the confident women God created us to be because it makes us stronger and better—when we go to God for help. Failure can stretch us to do more than we think we can and push us to try other methods of doing things when one way doesn’t work.

Yes, failure can be hurtful, but it can also be beneficial. Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it.

The truth is, following Jesus is not about avoiding failure and being perfect. It’s about accepting our weaknesses and letting them lead us to complete dependence on God’s perfect love and power at work in us.

The next time you fail to be the woman He calls you to be, or the woman you expect yourself to be, ask God to remind you of these truths. We will sometimes fail to be who we want to be, but we get closer to who we are meant to be every time we fall and then choose to take God’s hand so we can get up again!

Lord, I’m so thankful for Your grace that reminds me there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because my steps are established by You, Lord, I will believe that You delight in me even when I fail or fall. Today, I want to take Your hand and trust Your heart as You pull me back up again and use my failures to help me become the confident woman You created me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen. (See Romans 8:1; Psalms 37:23–24)

Doubt Diet Tip: I can’t guarantee you won’t fail, but I can help you set yourself up to succeed! Healthy eating requires good planning, especially packing healthy snacks for in between meals. In the same way, we can plan for healthy spiritual snacks from God’s Word. That way we have easy access to truth that will keep us on track and help us keep losing the weight of our self-doubts.

In chapter 12 of A Confident Heart I’ve created a chart of thirty-one promises to replace our defeating doubts with God’s empowering perspective. On the next page, I’ve included a few for you to print and carry with you so you will have easy access to some very healthy spiritual “food for thought”!

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Healthy Spiritual Snacks from
The 7-Day Doubt Diet

Taken from chapter 12 of A Confident Heart by Renee Swope

When I Say

God Says

Powerful Promises

I don’t know what to do.

I will direct your steps.

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. (Prov. 3:5–6 NIV)

My life is too hard.

Let Me help you.

I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (Ps. 91:15 NIV)

I can’t do it.

Rely on My strength and you can do all that I’ve called you to do.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me. (Phil. 4:13 AMP)

I’m too afraid.

I have not given you a spirit of fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Tim. 1:7 NLT)

I can’t forgive myself.

I forgive you.

God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (1 John 1:9 GW)

Continue losing the weight of self-doubt and live with a confident heart.

Ever feel like you’re not good enough, smart enough, or valuable enough? Renee Swope understands. Even with a great family, a successful career, and a thriving ministry, she still struggled with self-doubt. Sharing her own vulnerable and sometimes humorous story, Renee shows us how to rely on the power of God’s promises in our everyday lives so we can find the security we need and the confidence we long for!

- Exchange fear-filled thinking with faith-filled believing.

- Fail forward even when life or sin sets you back.

- Embrace your God-given purpose, passion, and personality.

- See beyond who you are to who you are becoming in Christ.

Powerful Scripture-based prayers are at the end of each chapter, along with Bible study questions and a chart with thirty-one different promises to replace our most common self-doubts.

What Others Are Saying . . .

“You’ll never be the same after you read this book!”—Sheri Rose Shepherd, bestselling author of His Princess and His Princess Bride

“I felt like A Confident Heart was written just for me. Renee’s depth, wisdom, and willingness to be real while sharing the real of Jesus blessed me beyond measure!” —Abby Rike, Biggest Loser, Season 8; author of Working it Out

“A Confident Heart is a captivating, story-driven book with real solutions to real doubts and fears we all face.”—Jennifer Rothschild, author of Me, Myself and Lies

About Renee

Renee Swope is a popular national women’s conference speaker, a radio show co-host and the Executive Director of Radio and Devotions at Proverbs 31 Ministries. She’s also a contributing author to three additional books, including a Gold Medallion finalist and a People’s Choice Award finalist as well as several online and print magazines. Renee is a featured writer for Encouragement for Today online devotions that currently touch over 450,000 lives each day across the world.

Renee lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children. Be sure to connect with Renee on her interactive website, where she offers encouragement, free resources, video messages, and more at: www.ReneeSwope.com.

About Proverbs 31 Ministries

We invite you to connect with Proverbs 31 Ministries, where Renee serves as an executive director, speaker, and radio show co-host. Proverbs 31 Ministries exists to lead women closer to the heart of God through their:

Encouragement for Today, online daily devotions that touch hundreds of thousands of lives each weekday

- P31 Woman, a monthly magazine

- Daily radio program that air on over 1500 outlets across the world.

- Dynamic speakers with life-changing messages

- Gather and Grow groups

- Books, resources and more!

To learn more visit www.Proverbs31.org.

Notes

[1]. “God Is In Control,” © 1993 by Twila Paris. All Rights Reserved. From He Is Exalted: Live Worship CD.

[2]. Victory Over the Darkness, Dr. Neil T. Anderson (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1990), 48.