If I could chronicle the times in my life that I was courageous, what would I select? As a small child, I battled a life-threatening illness. I heard people say that I was brave, but I had no idea why they said so. Being oblivious to danger is not courage.
Later, when divorced from an unfaithful and alcoholic man, some might say that took courage. From my perspective, it was an escape. I was not strong enough to work through and overcome these problems. Running away is not courage either.
When I became a Christian, I enthusiastically shared my faith with everyone, whether they wanted to hear it or not. Most of my friends were not interested and most of them vanished. Action without discernment is not very courageous either.
Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7–9)The biblical definition of courage is more about obedience than bravado or lack of fear. In my flesh, I’m a big coward, but when the Spirit of God is in charge, something happens that is not fully explained in this text. Courage and obedience are close cousins.
For instance, obedience can happen with resignation and a sense of duty. This is not biblical obedience, nor is it courageous. God wants me to know His Word and eagerly do what it says from the heart.
Obedience, like false bravery, can also be blind to danger. When God asks me to do something, He may or may not let me see the pitfalls, but I do not obey blindly. I obey because I know and trust God. When He asks me to obey without revealing the outcome, I can do it because I know He is not going to harm me. This is getting closer to the biblical idea of courage.
I need it all the time. For one thing, I’m a results-oriented person. If I act and nothing comes of it, I want to throw in the towel. But courage is not like that. Courage means obeying God even if the results are not seen. It is based on believing He has reasons, not on what I can see.
Courage is often associated with an emotion, but in the Bible that emotion is different from the confidence/bravery association usually made. It is even different from the “I’m scared but I’ll do it anyway” attitude. For God’s people, He says no fright, no dismay and no self-confidence. I am to put my trust in Him and think about what His Word tells me to do. I must know without a doubt that He is with me, no matter how I feel.
This then is courage: wherever I go and whatever I do in response to the commands of God, no matter how difficult they are or how much opposition I face, Almighty God is walking beside me. I cannot see Him (I walk by faith, not by sight) but I know that presence. It changes things.
One incident comes to mind. A cursing man spoke vile things around children. The crowd was saying someone needed to do something. God said to me, “You do it.” With a calm sense of His presence that often accompanies obedience to Him, I got up and walked toward that man without any idea what I was going to say. I spoke. He was defensive, but he listened, and he shut up.
I still remember the feeling of it. It was not what I’d call brave, nor was I fearful. It was an overwhelming sense that God wanted me to do this and I must do it. My heart was as calm as if I were out picking flowers.
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Lord, You have given me several opportunities to experience this thing You call courage. It is not brash, nor rude. It is not ‘in your face’ toward others. It is like being in a bubble where You are the protective film keeping the outside from me and me from doing anything else but what You ask. Forgive me, and all of Your people, for thinking that courage is something else, something we have to muster and grit our teeth over, or something that makes us self-confident. Help all of us remember that You are our confidence and when You ask us to do something that normally would make us run for cover, You are always with us and You will give us all we need to do it. Our courage is You.
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