Norman Vincent Peale an American minister and author once remarked: “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy.” Psalm 139:13-14 reminds us: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Confidence is defined as: “The feeling or belief that one can have faith in or rely on someone or something.” It primarily includes one’s own self-esteem and worth. Without it, a person is usually unable to tackle difficult tasks with any real hope of success. It displays strength of character and self-control. Romans 5:1-5 confirms: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
For some, confidence in themselves can be noticeably lacking, which may well prevent advancement in their career or abilities. However, everybody is good at something, it is just a question of discovering it. We need to have faith in our own potential. We need to have faith in God. We should never criticize any failings, that only destroys belief and builds barriers. If we show a modicum of assertiveness and set goals in life, as each is achieved, so our confidence grows. Proverbs 3:5 states: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Music is an important aspect of our lives. There is a renowned verse: "If music be the food of love, play on." This musical metaphor originates from William Shakespeare's play: "Twelfth Night." Orsino, the Duke of Illyria is hopelessly in love. His constant rejection requires him to renounce love. He surmises: "Too much of a good thing can turn one against it." If this is true, then an excess of music might cure his obsession with love. Just as eating too much food can result in a severe loss of appetite, then overindulgence in anything may reduce the desire to continue with it. However, some might say that music can't strictly be related to food. They are distinct from each other. For food feeds and fuels bodily energy, whereas music feeds the mind and soul.
In an article supplied by: "The Odissean Experience," it has been suggested that: "Music gives a soul to the universe, winds to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." It is considered precious by most and can exert a powerful influence. Combined with its own individualistic beauty, it can produce amazing results and should not be subjected to restriction in any way, shape or form. It may be classical or contemporary, ethereal or powerful and rhythmic. It can be inspirational. If music leads to creativity, it can significantly increase one's self-confidence. There are many known and unknown reasons why music is beneficial to health. The following facts have been recognized: "It relaxes the body and mind, it reduces stress, it can help and relieve the symptoms of depression, it can help to ease pain and is certainly beneficial to the heart, as the blood supply is known to increase when music is played."
There was once a young boy who lived in a small semi-detached house in the suburbs of London. He loved music and regularly sat and listened to his father’s record collection and reel to reel tapes that he had purchased. His ambition in life was to learn to play an instrument. Music had a very special effect on him and often sent him into a world of his own. As a rule, he was an extremely reserved young boy who unjustly tended to lack confidence in himself. Although he was loved by both parents, they did not have the necessary income which would allow them to purchase and live in a larger house with more space. The house was quite cramped. His grandmother lived opposite a large park in the centre of London which contained its own bandstand and a boating lake. When he stayed with her as a youngster, she would regularly take him to the park and often gave him the personal choice of either going to the boating lake or listening to the military band that played every afternoon. He always chose to listen to the band.
His favourite instrument was the piano. He would really have loved to learn to play one, but never received the opportunity. His parent's house was not appropriate to accommodate a full-size piano, not even a small upright, so regretfully they had to decline his request to purchase one so that he could learn. His grandmother lived as a companion to an elderly lady, so she was also unable to obtain one either as it was not her house. When he attained manhood, he moved to a new area as a result of his job and bought his first house. He regularly attended the local church and became a member of the choir. Psalm 105:2 reminds us: “Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!” The choir mistress, who was also the church organist, noticed that he had a keen interest in music and encouraged him to buy a piano. She was an accomplished keyboard player on both the piano and organ.
She informed him that she would teach him to play as a private student in her own house. He considered the proposition in great detail and eventually concluded that this was always what he had wanted to do. He accepted the challenge and purchased a second-hand piano. He installed it in his lounge. It was subsequently discovered that he had a flair for playing and learnt the basics very quickly. Romans 8:28 reminds us: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
After two years, he had reached a good playing level and his teacher tried to persuade him to play two of his best pieces at an evening social gathering in the church hall. At first, he was reluctant, stating that he would be too nervous to play in front of an audience, but his teacher continued to apply gentle pressure until he eventually gave in and agreed. His mini recital was well received and he was enthusiastically applauded for his effort by all those attending. To his amazement, he completed both chosen pieces without a single mistake. This enhanced his personal level of confidence significantly and he began to emerge from his shell. He regularly played at subsequent future social events held at the church and eventually became an accomplished player. Psalm 150:1-6 confirms: “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
Amen.
