One of my core memories as a dad is holding up the line at the top of a tall bounce slide on a breezy fall evening at the pumpkin patch. My son and I had finally made it to the top. All that was left was for him to sit in the sack and slide down. But as soon as he looked over the edge, fear gripped him. No amount of encouragement worked—he simply refused to go.

Then I had an idea. What if I go with you? I asked. Instantly, his whole demeanor changed. His confidence returned. With a smile, he climbed onto my lap, and together we went down screaming with joy. After that, he didn’t just try it again—he mastered the slide, going down ten more times with boldness.

Life can feel a lot like that slide. Sometimes we face moments that trigger fear—whether it’s a medical diagnosis, financial pressure, relational tension, or even a heaviness in our spirit. Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 14:26 that when we walk in the fear of the Lord, we gain a strong confidence. Not just an average confidence, but one that’s unshakable. It’s steady. It endures.

Why? Because when you know God is holy, powerful, and loving—so much so that you both revere Him and rest in His love—you gain the confidence to press forward. His presence fuels a confidence that doesn’t crumble.

Job displayed this while enduring sickness, devastating loss, and financial hardship. His friends asked him, “Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” (Job 4:6). Despite it all, Job pressed on in the fear of the Lord. Likewise, Hebrews reminds us: “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (Hebrews 10:35).

Today, take heart. Walk in the fear of the Lord and know He goes with you and is for you (Romans 8:31). That strong confidence will bless your life—and it will spill over into the next generation. Be strong, and stand firm in Him.