The Pier

 

I was running on the beach yesterday morning trying to ease my conscience. The half pound charbroiled burger with homemade pimento cheese and fried green tomato toppings from the night before weighed heavy on my mind and belly. Once upon a time this act of gluttony wouldn’t have bothered me.

I am evolving.

I looked ahead to a pier and set that as my distance target. Seemed reasonable, but not too easy.

I ran. And I ran. And I ran.

Was the pier moving further away on its stilted legs?

Oh my…maybe…I’ll…revise…my target. Oxygen, please.

Did that pier just move again?

The pier was my goal and I could see it, yet it took longer and was more difficult to reach than I planned. I had another goal once. It wasn’t something I could see or even imagine.

Confidence.

Not self confidence that is easily shattered. But a confidence that is unshakable. The kind that comes from God and knowing and believing who
I am in Christ. Holy confidence.

Again, I had no idea of what that was or what it looked like. But I did have the Word. And its pages are filled with DNA descriptors for Christ followers. I decided to write them down and look at them everyday. Say them. Incorporate them into my prayers.

I am God’s child. (John 1:12)

God started a good work in me and I am confident that He will complete it. (Philippians 1:6)

God has not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
(2 Timothy 1:7)

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).

I am the head and not the tail; I am above only and not beneath
(Deuteronomy 28:13).

I am God’s workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10)

God began painting a picture of the confident man he designed me to be. And I began to see it.

Seeing is believing, right?

Sometimes. In this case, I began believing first as I got God’s Word in my mind and heart and then I began to see it.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we can not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

I did make it to the pier. I pressed on because I could see it which gave me confidence that I could make it.

Use the Word of God to allow Him to bring into focus the man or woman He wants you to be. The person He designed you to be. He wants that
for you.

But you have to get up and do some work. That pier didn’t come to me.