Get the Facts, See the Truth...These are the Foundations for Confidence

Fact vs Opinion. Many times, we create confusion, when we add our own opinion to facts and come up with the wrong conclusion. Fact: A Husband cracks his knuckles. Opinion: The wife concludes, “He does that because he thinks it will annoy me.” Fact: The husband sucks his teeth after eating. Opinion: The wife concludes it is a lack of manners. Be willing to See the truth. Oftentimes, we color incoming information by our own fears, anxieties, or desires. But to deal in Faith we must be willing first to acknowledge the truth about the information. We must be able to see the truth, and to accept the truth, good or bad. Then be ready to take the measures the word of God prescribes to deliver and/or heal.

Many of us are individually guilty of the same error. We do not like to admit to ourselves our errors, mistakes, shortcomings, or ever admit we have been in the wrong. The believer not only does not cheat or lie to other people, he learns to be honest with himself. Prescription: seek out true information concerning yourself, your problems, other people, or the situation whether it is good news or bad news.

Adopt the Motto: It doesn't matter who’s right, but what’s right. Having a goal and understanding the situation is not enough. You must have the courage to act, for only by actions can goals, desires, and beliefs be translated into realities. All problems, personal, national, or combat, become smaller if you don’t dodge them, but confront them. Someone has said that "Faith is not only believing something in spite of the evidence, but it is also the courage to do something regardless of the consequences". 

Faith and courage are natural human instincts and we feel a need to express them in one way or another.  In doing so, be willing to make a few mistakes, to suffer a little pain to get what you want. Another helpful suggestion is to practice acting boldly and with courage in regard to little things. Do not wait until you can be a big hero in some dire crisis. 

Charity Believers have respect for others’ problems and needs. They respect the dignity of human personality and deal with other people as if they were human beings, rather than as pawns in their own game. These 3 things will further develop you. (1) Try to develop a genuine appreciation for people by realizing the truth about them; they are children of God, unique personalities, creative beings. Show respect for any human being merely because he is a child of God and therefore a thing of value.  (2) Take the time to stop and think of the other person’s feelings, viewpoints, desires, and needs. (3) Act as if other people are important and treat them accordingly. 

Regard your own esteem.  We simply must get it through our heads that holding a low opinion of ourselves is not a virtue, but a vice. Jealousy, for example, is nearly always caused by self-doubt. I advise you to stop carrying around a mental picture of yourself as a defeated, worthless person. Stop dramatizing yourself as an object of pity and injustice. 

Have self-Confidence!  Confidence is built upon an experience of success. Another important technique is to form the habit of remembering past successes and forgetting failures. It doesn't matter how many times you have failed in the past. What matters is the successful attempt; which should be remembered reinforce, and dwelt upon. Use errors and mistakes as ways to learn, then dismiss them from your mind. Everyone has succeeded at sometime and at something.

Thank you for reading! I pray this has helped you. If so, share it, like it, and comment!

Dr. James P. Norman Jr.