Preparation

3-18-2009
Confidence is an absolute key to being successful, so doesn’t it make sense to study where confidence comes from? The type of confidence I am referring to is an authentic confidence that comes from being comfortable in your own skin. In other words, you aren’t concerned with impressing the world, and you don’t let situations bother you. A real confidence comes from Christ. When you truly know who you are and where you come from, you will be confident because you know you are a child of God made in His image.
In order to further your confidence in a particular task, job, sport, etc. you must understand the importance of preparation. Preparation breeds confidence! When one is prepared for a certain task, you are able to pull up excellence at a moment’s notice. If you aren’t prepared, you will fail more times than not when put in the same exact situation. In 1 Peter 1:13 it says, “prepare your minds for action.” Peter is writing to the Jewish Christians at the time who were experiencing persecution for their faith. The vital purpose of this book is to provide encouragement, and to PREPARE believers for what lies ahead. In other words, just like you may need to prepare for a big game, a presentation at work, or any other significant moment in your life, Peter is telling Christians everywhere to PREPARE so that we may call up excellence at a moment’s notice. We never know when our faith will be called into action, but we had better be ready! There might be someone reading this right now that hasn’t accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and God might be using you to be the messenger of life. Are you prepared to answer what it means to be a believer? It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I truly understood what it meant to be a Christ follower. I had gone to church my entire life, but still had no clue what it meant to understand that Christ died for our sins. If you are reading this and you have questions about becoming a believer in Christ, we are here to help answer any questions you may have, so that you may be prepared for life! Once you know who you maker is, you will begin to understand who you are. Once you understand who you are and why you are incredibly significant to this world, you will become confident in your purpose for living!
I’ve always wondered how amazing life would be if we all spent as much time on our spiritual development as we do on so many other activities. For instance, we spend countless hours on our physical development, watching TV, sports, shopping, and any other activity you can think of. Truth is none of them compare to the value of spiritual and personal development. There is nothing wrong with watching a little TV, playing sports, etc. , but challenge yourself to carve out time, even if just a few minutes, everyday to read a daily devotional and other personal development books, so that you will be prepared to be your best when your opportunity comes. God will not give you the success you desire until you are prepared for success. Start to prepare today, and you too will be able to call up excellence at a moment’s notice!
Application:
1. What type of daily personal growth game plan are you committed to?
2. What areas in your life are lacking in self-confidence? Why?
3. For those areas in your life where you are confident, what are you finding your confidence in?
4. Look at every area of your life, and decide where you can do a better job of preparation.
5. Set a time starting today that you will set aside for personal development.
6. Read about Jesus’ preparation speech on the Mount of Olives to his disciples in Matthew 24.