Matt-man and the Revelation of Confidence

Confidence
Function: noun
1 a : a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances b : faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way
2 : the quality or state of being certain : CERTITUDE

This is the crux of many a problem in the way we all live. A lack of confidence. Everyone is born with this thing called confidence, it may not seem like it but it is true. The trick is to realize that it is there and to call upon it. Oh it would be nice to say that it gets easier with time and practice, but that is untrue. We never find it easy to call upon but it is always there. Waiting to jump into action at our command and give us the power to stand up under extreme pressure and rise above the chaos of our lives to achieve a moment of greatness.

The biggest problem is that there is no way of really knowing when it is working. There is no flashing light on the screen telling us when we have called it into service. It doesn't even feel all that different then the way we normally feel. In the moments that we call upon it and use it we are almost always surrounded by a feeling of fear and trepidation.

I have been talking to a number of people and what they have said has astounded me. These people are who I would say have confidence, yet when I ask them they are sure that they don't have it. They have the same fears as I do about things. So what and where is this confidence and how is it that they seem to have it when they are scared out of their minds?

Well that has been the center of my concern for weeks now. If no one really knows about their confidence then what is it really? If it is not a power or substantial quantifiable thing then how does it work?

It works by the Faith that what we see is subject to change, allowing us to stand up to what we see as reality and act in a way that is contrary to what we see. It gives us the ability to stand up to the fear and step beyond the boundaries of the world around us. Through that Faith we have the Confidence to see beyond the realm of the visible and into the realm of the invisible. It makes no sense and no rational person would do it but that is what Confidence is all about. The bigger and greater things that you do the more Confidence you have and the greater Faith that you can do anything.

I have always said that nothing was impossible for me. Not until this moment did I realize that knowing it was not enough. Knowledge is not where confidence comes from and thus just knowing was nothing at all. The true power of Confidence is Faith. Faith in ourselves, our friends, family and whatever powers we believe in. With Faith we call upon our Confidence to take that first step and the second and so on.

That is the trick. We have to do something. Only through action can we build Confidence and in so doing increase our Faith. The Bible has a verse that until now has always bothered me.

James 2:17
So also the faith, if it may not have works, is dead by itself.

The more excepted translation is "Faith without works is dead".

Until this very moment I have held this verse as a paradox. My faith is something that God knows, so how can it be said that it is dead unless I parade it around and do things for God. Mankind has been building stupid buildings and oppressing people for centuries under the auspice of "good works". It was something that until right now I had just pushed aside, but now I see something.

The word "works" is an interesting thing. It has three definitions of course. The old testament was written in Hebrew, the new testament in Greek and the English one. So I will look at all definitions.

The Hebrew

6381 pala' paw-law' a primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful:--accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).

The Greek

3167. megaleios meg-al-i'-os from 3173; magnificent, i.e. (neuter, plural as noun) a conspicuous favor, or (subjectively) perfection:--great things, wonderful works.

You may notice that it states in the Greek definition that it comes from another word. I have gone and brought up that word as well for comparison and to see the progression.

3173. megas meg'-as (including the prolonged forms, feminine megale, plural megaloi, etc.; compare also 3176, 3187); big (literally or figuratively, in a very wide application):--(+ fear) exceedingly, great(-est), high, large, loud, mighty, + (be) sore (afraid), strong, X to years.

Lastly I looked up "works" in a websters dictionary and here is the definition.

Work (since works is a plural I just went to the singular)

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English werk, work, from Old English werc, weorc; akin to Old High German werc work, Greek ergon, Avestan var&zem activity
1 : activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something: a : sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result b : the labor, task, or duty that is one's accustomed means of livelihood c : a specific task, duty, function, or assignment often being a part or phase of some larger activity
2 a : energy expended by natural phenomena b : the result of such energy c : the transference of energy that is produced by the motion of the point of application of a force and is measured by multiplying the force and the displacement of its point of application in the line of action

Of course as any dictionary would have there were several more forms of definition, but these cover the basic concepts that I have always been led to believe.

The engish definition seems to imply labor in one way or another and that is what I always look to when I read that verse. But the other definition holds a different view.

"great things, wonderful works." does not imply physical or mental labor but deeds. Great things as it says. The word from which it comes also seems to point away from labor and to actions of greatness and achievement. And that was the key.

Confidence is the application of our faith in the deeds that we perform when the world looks at us and says it is impossible, cannot be done, you don't have the power to do that:yet we believe (have Faith that) they can be done. Well if we act in the purely physical world then no it can't, it is impossible and we don't have the power.

But when we step into the world of imagination, call upon the Force around us and have the confidence to step forward we do have the power, nothing is impossible and we can do anything we put our minds to. Our history is replete with examples. Alexander graham Bell, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers are just a small sample of those that had the confidence to walk with faith to do perceived impossible deeds. No it is not easy and it never is. That is the proof of your faith and your confidence. Because you never stop pushing forward even when the going gets tough. No matter how much crap is piled on your shoulders you keep on trucking. Even when everything you have is torn away you still take that next step. As you step forward you have something to look back on and say "Hey I did that so I can do this" your Faith in your abilities grows as does your Confidence.

This is a better translation.

Faith with out deeds is dead.

Yes that is the better way to say it.

Not sure what exactly what I was trying to say. It just came to me. I will probably revisit it and work on it some more.

May the Force be with you

Excelsior!!!