Confidence Comes From God. 2 Corinthians 3:5

Marcus had just accepted his first speaking invitation at a men's ministry breakfast. Public speaking had never been his strength, and the idea of sharing his testimony with a room full of strangers sent him spiraling into self-doubt. For days, he rehearsed, rewrote, and stressed over every word. The night before the event, he nearly called to cancel.

He paced his living room, trying to calm his racing thoughts. “I’m not a preacher. I’m not polished. What if I mess this up?” That’s when he glanced at the open Bible on his desk, still marked from his morning devotion. The verse stared back at him: “Not that we are competent in ourselves... but our competence comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5.

He read it again, slower this time. “Our competence comes from God.” Not charisma. Not credentials. Just God. It hit him that the power of his story wasn’t in the delivery—it was in the One who brought him through it.

Confidence comes from God—and if God called him to share, then God would speak through him.

The next morning, Marcus walked into the church fellowship hall still nervous, but grounded. He began his story—how addiction nearly took his life, how grace found him in a jail cell, how freedom came through surrender. It wasn’t smooth. He lost his place once. His voice cracked twice. But men leaned in. Some cried. Others nodded with silent understanding.

Afterward, a young man approached him with red eyes and said, “You told my story. I thought I was too far gone, but now… I think maybe God still wants me.” That one sentence was all Marcus needed to hear. He realized God wasn’t looking for perfect speakers—just willing hearts.

That moment changed everything. Marcus continued sharing his story at small groups, recovery centers, and youth nights. Every time, he carried 2 Corinthians 3:5 with him—sometimes in his pocket, sometimes in his heart. And every time, he reminded himself that confidence comes from God, not from within.

Today, he mentors other men just stepping into leadership. When they say, “I don’t think I’m good enough,” Marcus smiles and answers, “Me neither. But God is. And that’s enough.”

2 Corinthians 3:5 (NIV):

"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God."