Courage

"Criticism challenges it...Adventure arouses it....danger incites it...threats quicken it..."
Courage - another word for inner strength, presence of mind against odds, determination to hang in there, to venture, to persevere, withstand hardship" taken from Chuck Swindolls's book Growing Strong int he Seasons of Life.

I have a little calendar flip book by Chuck Swindoll that is entitled "the Grace of Encouragement" that sits in my dressing area...and I can go for days or even months at a time without remembering to flip it. This is one of those pages that has remained opened and unflipped for whatever reason...and yesterday as I passed by and read it once again it stuck in my head for the most part of the day. Courage is one of those tools that we all need in our toolbox. It is not something that someone else can give you....though they can encourage you to seek it..but it is a God given inner strength that surfaces as a weapon that overcomes fear. Courage is something that each of us has within us but in order for it to be activated we have to have an urgent sense that something is important enough to face in spite of the odds that are against it. Courage stirs within us a motivation to stand up against the voices that speak "fear" instead of "fear not".

In our everyday lives we are faced with hard decisions and hard choices.....and many are faces with hardships. It takes courage sometimes just to get out of bed and face the day for many people....because what they have to deal with is overwhelming physically and mentally. Some of you reading this may be in that very position. But God has called us to have courage...and that courage must be rooted in faith. Faith in a power and a might and a grace and a victory that belongs only to God who shares it with those who seek Him. Throughout the bible, there are verses that say "be strong and courageous".and when reading them I am convinced and convicted that God has given each of us the tools that we need to be strong and courageous. He would expect us to be able to follow through with his instruction only because he knows that he has equipped us to do so.

Fear is a reality that each of us has to contend with. It has the potential to be an intimidating giant that stands before us and if we let it it will rule us. Our fears may be different but they have the same effect. They have the capacity to paralyze us and keep us from achieving our God given potential. It takes courage to override fears. And that courage, if rooted in faith, is stronger and bolder and more defined
than fear could ever be. Godly courage gives us the confidence to face the giant...of fear....no matter how big it may be. The bible also says "take courage.." and after pondering on that I think to "take" courage might be to "accept" courage....that God gives.

Matthew 14:27
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

This morning take a minute to think about what your fears are....what do the giants look like that are before you? Are they physical, or mental? And why have they been able to gain such force in your mind and body? Now, faithfully consider letting God come face to face with those fears. Who do you think would be the coward then? If I would stand boldly behind God when fears come into play in my life, oh how at peace and how different I would be able to live. But even when I know what to do and who to call upon....I still, so many times, try to be brave on my own....and more times than not I end up cowarding back into position of being dominated by fear instead of by faith. If only I would learn to "take courage"....at every turn...and be mindful of God's presence....it is only then that I will be free to stand confidently in the face of giants.

I saw an image this morning of a line of German Shepherd dogs all standing at attention ....and a small tabby cat walking in front of the line....passing each Shepherd confidently as he made his way down the path....that is courage. And just as that cat can prance her way
in front of a fearful pack of dogs...so can I march with confidence in front of my fears when I engage and activate the Godly courage that is within me.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. - Ambrose Redmoon

Dear Lord Thank you for blessing me with the tool of courage. Help me to remember that it is within me and teach me to enable it and activate it when fear comes in and tries to find a resting place. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!

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