Are you haunted with low self-confidence? 

When I was younger, I have a very low self-esteem. I was very shy and was afraid to show myself to others and to show what I was capable of. I was afraid to let people know my giftedness because I believed that I have only few talents compared to my friends and classmates. I saw that others were far intelligent than me. Others can immediately memorize all the things we studied while I struggled to even memorize one mathematical formula. Others could dance and sing well while my feet were as hard as a steel and my voice was as insignificant as the creak of a tree. Thus, I was always afraid to present myself before others.

This is something I could really relate well with the Fearful Jeremiah because I too am very fearful. Indeed, Jeremiah was fearful because he looked at himself to be so young to have such responsibility. He was fearful because he might commit mistake. He was fearful because people might not believe in him but rather will despise him.

Yet, God himself assured him,

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you…”

Jer 1:8. 

This tells us that when fear is conquered with our confidence in God, God makes wonder in us and through us. Jeremiah became a great prophet not because he portrayed a strong personality, completely confident in himself but because he trusted God’s promise and allowed God to transform his fear into true confidence.