Courage

The Lord said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

The young woman brushes her hair after trying on three different outfits. She glances at her watch and realizes she needs to leave in ten minutes to make it to her first job interview. She grabs her cell phone and thinks of dialing the secretary at the office where she has the appointment. It would be easy to cancel. She could simply say that she had a family emergency. But she wipes the sweat from her forehead, grabs her keys and her portfolio, and closes the door behind her.

Our lives are filled with many challenges – it takes courage to face them. We must be brave to become the winners that God intended us to be. Whether it's learning a new skill at work, telling a friend about Jesus, or confronting someone who needs to hear the truth, it takes courage to meet these challenges head on.

Courage is more an act of obedience than it is a feeling. That girl who left for the interview was courageous even if her stomach churned and her heart raced throughout the entire meeting. She chose to make the attempt instead of canceling. Almost every time I have shared the gospel with someone I've had to fight fear. But every time I've opened my mouth, God has been faithful to give me the words to say. And every time I've been obedient to God in this regard, I have had the satisfaction of knowing I did my part to help someone get acquainted with Jesus.

But there have been many times when I allowed fear to get the better of me. When this happens, I run to the Savior. He is quick to forgive me, as I repent for my disobedience. Are you walking in the courage of the Lord? He stands with you to give you His strength. We must learn to put His armor on and fight the giants. Let's be men and women of courage. When we do, we are reflecting the One who willingly died in our place.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for making me strong and of good courage. I choose to resist fear and follow You wherever you lead me. In Jesus name I command fear to leave my life, and I commit to be strong in You Lord and in the power of Your might. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.