self dysfunction...

We all experience times in life when we feel uncertain about our abilities. We may feel less than confident about ourselves. Maybe you aren’t sure what the outcome of a situation will be, or you have an opportunity that seems a little over your head. I’ve found that anytime God wants to increase us, He has to stretch us first. He has to help us see beyond our limitations and learn to trust that He knows what is in us and how to get it out of us. He knows you better than you know yourself, and He is certain of your abilities!

Many people are familiar with world-famous boxer, Muhammad Ali and his renowned trainer, Angelo Dundee. What most people don’t know is that just before every boxing match, Dundee would write a number on a small slip of paper and place it inside Ali’s glove. That may sound like a strange thing to give a boxer right before a fight, but Dundee had a reason for what he did. The number that he wrote on that slip of paper was the round in which he predicted Ali would knock out his opponent. Dundee was so confident in Ali’s ability that he didn’t just guess whether or not Ali would win, but when he would win—and Ali knew it.

I love that story because it shows the confidence Ali’s trainer had in him and the positive effect it had. I believe that confidence played a tremendous part in the champ’s amazing success as one of the greatest boxers that ever lived. Dundee was certain of Muhammad Ali’s ability to succeed, and the confidence that he instilled in his friend helped to give Ali a champion’s mentality.

In the same way, God is certain of your ability to succeed. After all, He placed it there. Even when you’re not certain of the outcome, God has confidence in you. Let that sink down into your heart today—the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hand has faith in you. When you really embrace that truth, it will cause you to have a champion’s mentality. With God, it’s not whether or not you will have victory—it’s just a matter of when!