Friday, March 21, 2014

Got Courage?

As I am writing this, the house is quiet. I am home alone, a rarity for sure. Abie is spending the night at her BFF's house and my husband took Wyatt out riding on the quads at Solon. It is a beautiful day. The sun is shining and melting away the last of the snow piles in my backyard. Thank you, God, for Spring!

Time to focus on the task at hand - do I see myself as a woman of good courage? Do I have the courage of Joshua? What a wonderful example he is! He fully believed in God,  trusted Him beyond all measure, did exactly what God asked of him and was successful! It was the power of God that delivered Jericho into the hands of the Israelites.

I can be courageous when it is something I am familiar with or comfortable with, but then is that really being courageous? Realistically, if I am faced with something that takes me outside my comfort zone, courage flees me at an alarming rate.

Why? Why do I let my courage falter? I am sure some of it is a control issue (Yep, I'm working on letting go and letting God!), but the majority of the blame falls on the "What ifs...". What if I mess up; what if people laugh or make fun of me; dear Lord, what if I'm successful, then what?!

I learned through the study this week that, just like everything else, it all come back to God, my loving and forgiving Father. I need to surround myself with prayer warriors (who said I have to do this on my own?), dig deeper into God's Word and let His presence fill me and pray, pray, pray! God is always with me (Psalm 23). He loves me (1 John 4:8) and He forgives me (1 John 1:9). Truths directly from the Bible that are applicable to my life and yours. Is it always going to be easy to "be of good courage?" NO! In my Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV), the notes say for Matthew 4 that "God tests his people, but it's the devil how tempts us to evil (fears).

Without God we can accomplish nothing; we are nothing. God can accomplish many amazing things through us if we have courage to believe and trust in God above all things. Remember, sweet sisters, as we work to overcome our fears

  "I can do all things through him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:13.

5 comments:

  1. My friend has just done something so courageous that it encouraged me to dream again. If she can, then I can too. I know we look to Jesus for everything, but it is nice to have a person to get me thinking about things I hadn't allowed myself to consider for myself before.I am believing God for time and funds to travel and to get back to a place of financial security. Even saying it takes courage and i am proud to start believing God for big things again!

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  2. Give your dreams to God, Valerie! It is nice to have someone to get things kick-started for us! Good for you to dream again! :)

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  3. Yep--I can do whatever I need to, if it's something I've done before. But there are times, like you, that if it's something new, I'm so chicken about it!! Thanks for sharing and your reminders of how to be courageous!

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  4. I know what you mean about stepping out of our comfort zones to be courageous. I have to rely on God more. I love Philippines 4:13! It has been my favorite verse for so long and I cling on to that all the time. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. Deje, you are being courageous and I am so proud of you!!! Keep stepping out of your comfort zones! God will meet you there! Love you OBS sister!!!

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