2 Corinthians 1:12 (NASB)
“12For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.”
Proud confidence is not something we might consider as a positive attitude if we hear it spoken by others who talk about themselves. However, in this verse, the apostle Paul uses the words “proud confidence” to speak of himself and does so in a way that each of us can follow. Paul’s confidence does not rest in his abilities, but the power of the Gospel in his life, and the sustaining grace of God.
It may be fashionable to be humble, and there is nothing wrong with humility. However, it is perfectly all right to also live in the confidence of who we are in Christ, and what we can accomplish through him. If we live in “holiness and godly sincerity” and not in “fleshly wisdom,” then we can stand in “proud confidence” of knowing that our conduct honors God and is reflected in the lives of others and the world, and our conduct is rooted in God’s grace.
During times of uncertainty, it is good to know that we serve a God in whom we can stand confident. It is the right kind of confidence, grounded “not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God.” It is in this confidence that we are to “conduct ourselves” in the world and toward others. It is not about self, but about God, and expressing God’s love and grace.
Are you living in “proud confidence” this morning in what God is doing in your life? Are you giving the honor and glory to Him in your “testimony of conscience?” – PM