When I think about confidence, an image that comes to mind is Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music, spinning and striding through the streets of Salzburg. In the popular 1965 film, Andrews portrays Maria, a young woman who is becoming a nun. It soon becomes clear that Maria’s lack of discipline and free-spirited nature do not lend themselves to the rhythm of life in the abbey. Maria leaves, taking a job in the city as a governess for seven children who have a single father. 

As she walks out of the abbey for the last time, Maria stands in shadows, pausing to take one last look back. She begins to sing “I Have Confidence”, one of the film’s many iconic songs, which beautifully illustrates the tension between confidence and doubt. 

Her song opens with questions about the future as she wrestles with opposing emotions – her desire for adventure and fear of the unknown. Maria sings, “My heart should be wildly rejoicing / oh, what’s the matter with me?” as she struggles with mixed feelings. 

As she steps into the city, Maria recognizes that she will need courage to seek the confidence she needs: “I must dream of the things I am seeking / I am seeking the courage I lack.” The energy of the song builds as her self-confidence grows, culminating in a bold declaration: “I have confidence in confidence alone!” suggesting that she believe in herself, but also in the inherent power of confidence. 

Seconds later, Maria finds herself in front of the imposing Von Trapp family home, peering through the wrought iron gates. Her eyes survey the house and she whispers, “Oh help!” before opening the gate, belting “Besides, which you see, I have confidence in me!” as she sprints toward the massive front door.  

In Maria’s story, we see the genesis of a young woman discovering her self-confidence. Despite her best effort, there remains a sliver of doubt. Does she really have everything that it will take to care for these children? In a whisper of uncertainty, Maria asks for “help” from a source outside herself. She seems to believe that true confidence and strength comes from somewhere beyond what she has inside. 

Many of us go through a journey similar to Maria’s as we seek self-confidence. To find confidence, we have to know what we’re looking for. If you ask for a general definition of confidence, most will think of confidence in the self, the government, or the universe. Some people put greater trust in their intuition, while others put more confidence in something external. 

To me, confidence means knowing who you are and what you can do. A confident person is authentic, genuine, consistent, and passionate. They understand their personality and character, which helps them know their strengths. Confidence includes knowing your limits and when you need to get help. A person who is confident knows their purpose and they deeply believe that their value is secure.

For Christians, we have confidence in the God who created the universe and every person on Earth. Our sense of worth is secure, because the gospel declares that nothing we do could ever change God’s love for us (Rom. 8:37-39). When we believe that God created us, loves us, provides for us, protects us, and has plans and dreams for our lives, we can step out into life from a place of confidence. 

This doesn’t mean that Christians don’t have any self-love or self-confidence, rather, we love ourselves in response to God’s love for us. We need to recognize how much we are worth to God, as we gain a deeper understanding of the beauty and eternity he has placed in our hearts. The love and confidence we have in this life reflects something much deeper, which comes from God our Father. 

As we go through life, challenges and tests are indicators of our source confidence. I once listened to a podcast where a retired fighter pilot said, “We don’t rise to the occasion, we fall to the level of our training.” If we rely on self-confidence, it’s easy for us to become arrogant. We believe that we have all that it takes, and that we will rise when the occasion calls for us. Sometimes in life we get hit so hard, we fall back on the true source of our confidence. With our feet placed firmly on God, our Rock, we are sure to stand, even when we get knocked down. 

Like Maria in The Sound of Music, it’s natural for us to look to the future with a mixture of excitement and fear. The future is unknown, yet filled with possibilities. She set out to grow her self-confidence, yet a whisper of doubt remained. She wasn’t confident that she had everything she needed inside and the sliver of fear returned. 

With God, we can look into an unknown future with a sense of adventure and anticipation. When we feel fear or anxiety, we take those emotions to God. We ask Him to reveal His character again, to remind us of where He was faithful in the past. With our spirits refreshed, confidence in Christ allows us to step out boldly into the adventure of life. I am reminded of Corrie ten Boom who said, “Don’t be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God.” We stand confident in a God we know, a God who came to Earth to know us, a God who is not distant or far away, but closer than we could ever imagine. In this God, we place our trust, our hope, and our deepest confidence.