pride and confidence are different‏

Bob Thune absolutely nailed it the other day. This encouraged my heart toward courage and toward humility. Only the Gospel and its proper handling can produce such a blessed paradox of thinking so much less of one’s ability and being so confident as a result.

Here is a quote Thune lifted from G.K. Chesterton on this topic of assurance, confidence, pride and prejudice:

What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place. Modesty has moved from the organ of ambition [and] settled upon the organ of conviction, where it was never meant to be. A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed… The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a nail in his boot that prevented him from going on. For the old humility made a man doubtful about his efforts,which might make him work harder. But the new humility makes a man doubtful about his aims,which will make him stop working altogether.

Please click the link above and read the full post.

It’s not long and will encourage your heart toward confidence in Christ and the gifts He has given you for your good, His glory, the church’s benefit and a witness to the world.