May | 25 | Dancing With Diffidence

Key Word:- TRUST

Title:- Dancing With Diffidence

Hebrews 13:5
....for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not,[I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down ( relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!](AMP)

Now friends, she’s often overlooked in the story, however this morning I want to focus on her. Please God, you will have read the Christian Classic, ‘Pilgrim's Progress’ and know of ‘Christian’ and ‘Hopeful’s’ little excursion off the Kings highway, into the grounds of ‘Doubting Castle’ and their terrible encounter with ‘Giant Despair’. Here, in Doubting Castle they are kept locked up in a dungeon and are tortured by the giant. In this darkness the giant ‘Despair’ even suggests suicide as the only way out of the situation. Bunyan brilliantly portrays the felt hopelessness and torture of many Christians who are in such a position. Fortunately, the word of promise, is the key discovered by Christian to be even in his heart, even and already in his very possession. This is the key that gets him, with great difficulty and danger, out of the dungeon, the castle, the giant and his grounds.

Interestingly friends, in the story, giant despair never acts alone. Indeed, he is animated and directed by his unseen wife. Her name is ‘Diffidence’. She is the one who instigates the torture and directs the giant; ‘Diffidence’ is the puppet master of giant ‘Despair.’

Webster defines diffidence as ‘shyness, lack of self confidence, hesitancy’. The hidden-ness of Bunyan’s character is the only action that matches this description. However, the roots of the word through Middle English to Latin, reveal the heart of 'Diffidence' and it’s true meaning which is ‘Distrustful!’ And there we have it. A word when said aloud even now still possesses the serpent’s hiss. Dissssssssstrusssssstful.

Don’t dance with this distrustful dame friends. She is always tapping us on our shoulder, slurring her slippery suggestions into our hearts. “Did God really say?” Or, “Look He’s deserted you again.” Or, “Trust no one, not even God.” Or even, “He takes care of them, but you? Ha! He obviously doesn’t love you as much. Give Him the slip.” And most of all, “You are all alone now.” And so she goes, on and on. Friends do not accept the kind and seemingly reasonable invitations of Miss Distrust! No, do not dance with 'Diffidence'.

Listen:- So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:6 AMP

Pray:- So then Lord, let diffidence die in me. Let Hope revive and reach to the very heavens even to Your great powerful and ever faithful, mighty right hand. In Jesus name I ask it, amen.