Avoiding the danger of overconfidence in yourself
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh…. - Philippians 3:3
When it comes to overconfidence, golf legend Arnold Palmer recalls a tough lesson he once learned in a tournament:
“It was the final hole of the 1961 Masters tournament, and I had a one-stroke lead and had just hit a very satisfying tee shot. I felt I was in pretty good shape. As I approached my ball, I saw an old friend standing at the edge of the gallery. He motioned me over, stuck out his hand and said, ‘Congratulations.’
“I took his hand and shook it, but as soon as I did, I knew I had lost my focus. On my next two shots, I hit the ball into a sand trap, then put it over the edge of the green. I missed a putt and lost the Masters.
“You don’t forget a mistake like that; you just learn from it and become determined that you will never do that again. I haven’t in the 30 years since.”
It can be easy to act like Arnold Palmer on that day and put too much confidence in yourself for faithful obedience. But the truth is that no one has the ability alone to live the Christian life. We’re just not good enough to do that!
Don’t make the mistake of becoming overconfident in your ability to obey Christ. Instead, trust in Jesus to live out a life of faithful obedience through you. That’s how you can honor God with your life!
Prayer Challenge
Ask Jesus to live out faithful obedience through you so that you can honor God with your life!
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