on courage
The draft of this post has just been sitting for about a
month or so now. So many things have been marinating in my heart and mind in
this season. This I know—God is always faithful. He is always true, and the
promises He has given us are always yes. Sometimes, He just takes a little
(okay maybe a lot) longer than we want Him to.
I can’t remember where I first saw this picture; it was on
someone else’s blog that I stalk follow. As soon as I saw it, I loved it. What
truth it holds in so few words. Courage is not the absence of fear. There are
many things of which we can be fearful. When we are children, we hide in fear
of the boogey man and want our parents to shield us from the darkness. We scream
in horror at masked men and hold on to our favorite teddy bear for comfort. As
adults, we fear somewhat more substantial things. What if my dreams never
come true? What if I don’t get that job? What if…? Getting lost in the land
of “What if?” is not a difficult feat. Francis Chan says that our greatest fear
should be of living an insignificant life. Far too often, though, we allow
fears of much lesser importance to control us. Courage pushes us forward in
spite of the fear that begs us to stay where it is safe. Courage demands us to
be the best version of ourselves. Courage asks us to step into the dark without
a bright flashlight, lantern, or sometimes even a match.
When we take those steps, we always find that God is right
there waiting on us. The dark fears which we allowed to paralyze can melt away
in the light of His presence. He wants us to know that He hasn’t left us. In
fact, He’s been with us every step of the way, gently leading and hoping that
we will take the leap of faith that terrifies us so. He is the One who was, is,
and is to come. This means that He is already in the future that we’re so
worried about, and He is going before us, preparing the way. So what is it that’s
holding you back if you have the God of the universe on your side? Do you have the
courage to be who you were created to be?
And you know I had to leave you with a song...