5 Reasons You Can Have Confidence in Unfamiliar Situations

The whirl-wind has come! Taylor had orientation for seminary yesterday, today I start my first day of  my new job as a barista (why hello again, coffee!), and we are still working on getting the house organized.

I am so thankful that God has provided a job for me, and we all know how much this girl likes her coffee, but I am also feeling very overwhelmed with all the newness. I knew I would. But with this job, a job where I will have more than just a baby and their parents to "impress", I am feeling self-conscious. I am feeling inadequate. 

We all have our moments...and this is one of mine.

But as a Christian, I shouldn't be worrying about what people think. I shouldn't worry about whether I'm too fat, too clumsy, too different, etc. I love that I am different, and I love that I have the salvation of Christ to share with others. There's no reason for me to assume that people will think badly of me, but even if they do, it shouldn't matter. 

My focus needs to stay steadily on truth. So does yours.

5 Truths for New Situations

1.) Remember what God says about you

Christ calls me beautiful. Christ calls me enough. Christ calls me loved. If you are a follower of Christ, He says the same about you. If you are not a follower of Christ, you can be. He is waiting with open arms!

2.) Remember your purpose

What if everyone hates me? What if everyone talks badly about me behind my back? Well, if they do, it doesn't matter. Why? Because my sole purpose in life is to declare and show Christ to the world. Whether people love me, hate me, or are indifferent towards me, I am to keep loving them, keep showing them that they are worth something, and keep being a good witness in my conduct and in my words. My purpose is to declare Christ- not to declare myself.

3.)Remember that you can make a difference

No one else is like me. I am Kristin Cook, and no one else has my exact personality, talents, or skills. I contribute to the world, to my city, and to each day in a way that no one else can. The same goes for you. 

I like to joke and I like to make people smile. I like to encourage people. If I hide away from the world because I am scared about a new situation, how can I also encourage people? If I let my anxiety and fear keep me from using my gifts, I am being incredibly selfish.
What gifts and abilities do you have that could positively affect those around you? Don't hide them. Don't focus on yourself. Look at the hurting world and use your gifts well.

4.) Think through how

Now that we've established that you have gifts that the world needs, think through how you can use them. I want to go into work each day with a smile on my face, a compliment to give to someone I work with, and a sincere interest in their lives. To do so, I need to prepare myself each day, remembering my true purpose and focus. I need to get into "encourage mode" at the beginning of each day. 

Think through how you can put your gifts into practice. How can you practically implement these things into your daily life? Think it through and have a good idea of how you can make that happen.

5.) Express your fears to those closest to you

Loved ones are in your life for multiple reasons. One of which is to support you. Tell them your fears. Tell them that you really need some encouragement, and that you need a push to keep you going. Having that support system in place, coupled with constantly asking God for His help, is absolutely necessary.

In this new season of life, we are so very excited, but it is also nerve-wracking, stressful, and just plain scary. We are happy, but change still requires adjustments, no matter how happy you are.

Is there anything changing in your life? Do you think these tips can help you live well during the adjustments? Comment below.