Several years ago I came across an idea that I decided to adopt. Instead of writing New Year’s Resolutions, I chose a word for the year. This word would be the word that would encourage me, motivate me and call me to action as I strive to be a better Christian.
This year, I chose the word COURAGE. I am by nature a fearful person. I see danger in everything. I hate it. I wish that I wasn’t this way. However, just because it is a tendency that I have doesn’t mean that I should cave to it. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV). If God does not give us fear, it must come from satan. I don’t want to give satan a foothold in any area of my life. Sadly, I have caved to my fears too many times.
Since, I was about eight years old, I have wanted to be a writer. I used to make books for my Barbie dolls. Tiny ones that they could hold in their hands. For the last three years, I have considered on and off writing a blog. It terrifies me. What do I have to say that would benefit anyone? What if no one reads it? What if, what if, what if? The questions are endless.
Fear has been a constant obstacle my entire life. I decided this year would be the year that I would face some of those fears.
It has been quite the learning experience. I have found that courage is not the absence of fear. It is doing something despite the fear you might be feeling in the pit of your stomach. Fear of being rejected or humiliated. Fear of being hurt. Fear of things not working out the way you hoped.
What have I done this year to be courageous? Have I gone sky-diving or bungee-jumping? Nope (and will not). But I also didn’t jump out of my car and run screaming this morning when I saw the spider crawling across the inside of my sunroof as I was driving down the road.
More importantly, I have worked on my own inner critic that often says to me, “You can’t do that. You aren’t smart enough. You are not talented enough. No one cares what you think.” I have faced fears that can’t be seen. I still have some room to grow, but I am continually learning to give my fears over to God and replace them with faith in Him and not in myself.
And you know what, God is constantly providing me with just the right thing to give me the courage I need. Recently, that came in the form of a scripture that I am certain I had read before, but this time it helped me face a fear head-on.
“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV).
I read this verse just a couple of days before I was getting on an airplane to fly to a third-world country. Flying terrifies me. I get heart palpitations just looking at an airplane in the sky. Talk about what if scenarios. I can come up with a thousand before the flight attendants even begin their safety speech. So, this verse really spoke to me that day. Two days later, as I stepped through the door of that airplane, I was repeating this scripture to myself over and over.
Do you hear what God is saying? He was telling King Jehoshaphat that he literally did not have to fight. Guess what! I don’t have to fight either! I just have to choose my position and stand firm. God will handle the rest.
I am not even responsible for the outcome. I am only responsible for taking a stand and trusting God. There is so much freedom in that!
What do you need the courage to do today? Heal a relationship. Get on an airplane. Start a blog. Approach the boss with a new idea. Oh, how I pray that you can find the courage to do it. What a blessing it is to face something with fear and do it anyway!
With Eyes on the Cross 