Fear has always been one of my biggest struggles. Seems like it’s a struggle for most of us, really. If this is true for you as well, then I have a book for you to read: The Book of Confidence! I have often felt like I just don’t have the proper equipment to conquer fear: like facing a dragon while armed with a toothpick. I used to tell myself that I just needed to trust more. But, after reading this book, I realize that I need something else: confidence.
Confidence is a rare virtue. There are some lookalikes out there: you might see a person charging forward in rashness or holding firm through stubbornness, for instance. But these qualities are actually subtle perversions of true confidence. And the real deal is hard to find. Let this book show you how!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. This supports our family and we appreciate your understanding.
What is in This Book?
Introduction to Confidence
Father Thomas de Saint-Laurent begins his book by reminding us that Our Lord Himself exhorts us to have confidence. Numerous times throughout the Gospels, Jesus tells the people who come to Him: “Have confidence!” (Confide is the Latin word; it is sometimes also translated “Take heart” or “Courage.”) Father Thomas also points out that many are harmed by the lack of confidence, whether through fear of God or insufficient faith. He compares us to St. Peter walking on the water:
When Saint Peter, in his eager desire to meet Our Lord, jumped from his boat into the lake, he walked upon the waters with an assured step. But the wind blew violently. Soon the waves rose angrily, threatening to engulf him. Peter trembled with fear. He hesitated . . . and began to sink. “O thou of little faith,” Jesus said to him, “why didst thou doubt?”
And so it is with us. In our moments of fervor, we remain tranquil and recollected at the feet of Our Lord. When the tempest comes, the danger engrosses our attention. We turn our eyes away from Our Lord to fix them anxiously on our trials and our dangers. We hesitate . . . and then we sink. . . . Souls without confidence, why do we doubt?
Confidence is clearly an important attribute to possess. But what exactly is it?
The Nature of Confidence
Father Thomas turns to St. Thomas Aquinas for his definition of confidence. The Angelic Doctor describes confidence as “A hope fortified by solid conviction.” Father Thomas goes on to explain that confidence is related to hope: it is not ordinary hope that can be lost by despair, but a hope that is unshakeable. Its foundation is faith: “The more profound our faith, the stronger and more deeply rooted will be our confidence.”
This is not the sort of confidence we have in earthly persons. The confidence we are describing is a confidence in God, one that depends entirely upon His providence. It is not halfhearted. It is total commitment to God’s goodness or it is no confidence at all.
The Place for Confidence
Father Thomas states that we should exercise confidence in God for both our temporal and our spiritual necessities. Since God is both utterly good and infinitely powerful, we can be confident that He will provide for our daily needs. But it is also important to recognize that God knows our true needs better than we do. At times, God providing for our real needs will not satisfy the things we think are real needs. Confidence is unshaken by this, and instead humbly accepts every gift from the hand of the Lord.
Still more important is the fact that God obtains our spiritual needs for us. He forgives us in His mercy, and guides us by His grace. But we fearful souls forget how kind He is. “Guilty souls, do not fear the Savior,” says Father Thomas. Since God delights in taking care of temporal necessities, how much more does He delight in taking care of our spiritual necessities, if only we believe that He can and have confidence that He will?
Reasons for Confidence
The next section of the book lists several reasons to have confidence in God. These include:
- The mystery of the Incarnation, because God gives Himself to us
- God’s unlimited power, because nothing can keep Him from helping us
- God’s goodness, because He has pity on our sufferings
In eloquent words, Father Thomas describes how confidence is always the most appropriate response to God’s workings in our lives.
The Fruits of Confidence
Lastly, Father Thomas notes several fruits that are borne by confident souls. Confidence glorifies God, because it acknowledges Him as the Lord of all. It attracts exceptional favors to those who practice it, both in generous gifts bestowed and in many evils removed. The confident prayer obtains everything, as we are told over and over in the Scriptures.
We have the example of the saints to remind us of the efficacy of confidence. Many made bold requests of God, Who took pleasure in granting them, since they were made wholly trusting in His love. In this same way, we ought to pray.
Takeaways from The Book of Confidence
This book really brought home to me the need for a new level of faith and hope in my life. I knew that I possessed these virtues by nature of my baptism, but I didn’t realize that confidence was the perfection of hope firmly rooted in faith. Hope always seemed nebulous to me, and easily destroyed by fear. Now I am realizing that hope is very much a choice. I must choose to have hope. I must choose to have confidence. It won’t come overnight, but it will come with practice. God will see to it Himself!
Rating: 5 Stars
I deeply enjoyed this book and found it to be an encouraging, enriching read. Copies seem to be a little scarce, but if you can get a hold of one, I highly recommend adding it to your shelves!
Leave a Reply