C Stage

Confidence in Christ

"Following Jesus begins with receiving forgiveness and new life" (Journey of the Soul, Chapter 3).

Characteristics of the C Stage

The C Stage of Confidence in Christ is the first of the six CHRIST stages of faith. Its symbol is a church because often people come to faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior by hearing the gospel through a local church community (Rom. 10:13-14, Heb 10:24-25)

Key Lesson

This first stage is about learning to trust in your heavenly Father's love through Jesus Christ.

Where you can get stuck

At the C Stage the main temptation is living in two worlds, vacillating back and forth from loving God to loving the world. This potential roadblock may become a wall where you feel stuck in your growth.

God’s Grace for the C Stage: Sticky Love

You grow in Confidence in Christ by appreciating God’s hesed, which is Hebrew for lovingkindness or mercy. We call it “sticky love” because it’s the bonding agent in the secure attachment that a small child begins learning from a nurturing mother (Journey of the Soul, p. 67).

Growth in the C Stage

There are ten soul care practices that are especially important for becoming more healthy and loving in the C Stage (Journey of the Soul, pp. 70-74). The top three are:

Attending church
Noticing God in nature
Reading Bible stories (especially the Gospels)

Key Scripture

You Are Chosen by Father God

“You are not forgotten, for you have been chosen and destined by Father God. . . May God’s delightful grace and peace cascade over you many times over! Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. . . . For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:2–3 TPT).

Spiritual Direction Tip

“If people make unwise choices, resist the urge to moralize (e.g., ‘Oh, you shouldn’t have. . .’) or reassure (e.g., ‘Well, God can work it out for good’). Instead ask how they feel about the situation or what their prayer request is” (Journey of the Soul Leader Guide, p. 41).

Key Quotes

“Your story of faith is precious and unique to you. It’s a story that needs to be told, nurtured, and developed” (Journey of the Soul, p. 62).

“[In the C Stage] we’re in a tug of war between the kingdoms of light and darkness (Col. 1:13)” (Journey of the Soul, p. 65).

“Empathy is vastly underappreciated—it’s a palpable way that the Holy Spirit ministers to us the sticky love of Christ that restores our soul splits” (Journey of the Soul, p. 67).