Have Courage--But How?
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid . . . for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. " - Deut. 31:6
On a bad day, you and I read this and wilt. How can we possibly obey this command? We are below zero strength; we are in the negative. Life itself seems impossible; our minds are so cloudy we can't make a simple decision like whether to use a fork or a spoon. Where is God? Why do we feel so powerless?
For you or me, courage may look like this:
Getting out of bed.
Eating a meal. Alone.
Enduring one more moment.
Refusing to allow the mind to dwell on the negative.
Being OK with not having an answer.
Thinking the best of others.
Not giving in to despair.
Asking God for help.
Friend, you are not alone. And you are in the perfect position to receive God's grace. The point is, we cannot obey this command, and realizing that fact is the first step of courage.
The one consistent, strong, noteworthy promise of God that helps us is the FACT of His presence. He is always with us, regardless of our awareness of it. His presence IS His help. He Himself is our fortress and help (Ps. 18:2). It takes faith on our part to believe that what God says is true . . . but we don't even possess the faith we need--we're not strong enough!!
So here's the step of courage: ask God to give you the grace to believe. Do this everyday. This is courage. Gradually, day by day, you will see your faith increase. You will develop an awareness of His presence with you, and an appreciation for His promise never to forsake you. Your path or my path of suffering may not ease up for a season, but you will make it, and you will develop the dependence on God that He wants for you, and your relationship with Him will grow deeper as you see Him answer this prayer for you!
And remember, seasons don't stay forever. There's hope. ;-)
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2020 Julianne Knapp. First published 5.22.20
On a bad day, you and I read this and wilt. How can we possibly obey this command? We are below zero strength; we are in the negative. Life itself seems impossible; our minds are so cloudy we can't make a simple decision like whether to use a fork or a spoon. Where is God? Why do we feel so powerless?
For you or me, courage may look like this:
Getting out of bed.
Eating a meal. Alone.
Enduring one more moment.
Refusing to allow the mind to dwell on the negative.
Being OK with not having an answer.
Thinking the best of others.
Not giving in to despair.
Asking God for help.
Friend, you are not alone. And you are in the perfect position to receive God's grace. The point is, we cannot obey this command, and realizing that fact is the first step of courage.
The one consistent, strong, noteworthy promise of God that helps us is the FACT of His presence. He is always with us, regardless of our awareness of it. His presence IS His help. He Himself is our fortress and help (Ps. 18:2). It takes faith on our part to believe that what God says is true . . . but we don't even possess the faith we need--we're not strong enough!!
So here's the step of courage: ask God to give you the grace to believe. Do this everyday. This is courage. Gradually, day by day, you will see your faith increase. You will develop an awareness of His presence with you, and an appreciation for His promise never to forsake you. Your path or my path of suffering may not ease up for a season, but you will make it, and you will develop the dependence on God that He wants for you, and your relationship with Him will grow deeper as you see Him answer this prayer for you!
And remember, seasons don't stay forever. There's hope. ;-)
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
©2020 Julianne Knapp. First published 5.22.20