Christians must be humble. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (1 Pet. 5:5). The Bible gives many warnings against pride. However, there is a difference between pride, arrogance, haughtiness, etc., and confidence. While Christians must walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8), we are expected to serve Him with confidence and assurance. This can be especially difficult for those who have low self-esteem. What can we do to gain confidence in our service to the Lord?

1. Remember, the Lord is with us as we do His will. When He commissioned the apostles, Jesus gave the promise, "and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:20). Jesus did not set them up for failure. Neither did He send them out alone. "And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen" (Mark 16:20).

While we do not enjoy the privileges given to the apostles, we do labor with the assurance of the Lord's presence and providential blessings in our lives. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5-6).

2. Remember, the Lord is going before us. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). He calls us to "follow" Him (Matt. 16:24). This is significant. Jesus does not send us into uncharted territory. Everything Jesus calls upon us to do, He has already done Himself. The gospels tell us of many different things Jesus did. He faced, and overcame, the same kinds of challenges we face today (Heb. 4:15-16). This should give us confidence.

3. Remember, we are not alone. While it is a comfort to know that Jesus is always with us, we can sometimes feel like we are all alone in our service to the Lord. Elijah did. He fled from his work because he was sure he was the only one who cared about serving God (1 Kings 19:9-10). Elijah was wrong. He was not alone. "Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" (v. 18).

There is strength in numbers (Eccl. 4:9-12), and God has gathered His people into a body (the church) so that we can work together and strengthen one another. There may be areas in our lives where we are the only Christian present (school, work, home), but even there we are not far from brethren who share our own experiences. This is why it is important that we attend every assembly of the church. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).

4. Remember, Jesus has already won the victory. Paul asked the Romans, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'" To which he gave the answer, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Rom. 8:35-37). Imagine the confidence a soldier or athlete would have if they knew they had already won. That is the confidence the Lord gave to His people when He rose from the dead.

Christians must be humble, but we must also serve the Lord with confidence. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10).