What Does Courage Look Like?

I bought a necklace with the words, ‘Courage, dear heart. – C.S. Lewis’.  I was drawn to it the moment I saw it on a social media post.  I knew the message was for me.  I felt like God Himself was whispering the words directly to me the moment I saw it, just like Lucy felt sure that Aslan had whispered the words to her.  At the time, I had no clue as to why I might need this reminder, but I am so thankful that God in His loving kindness was preparing me for what was to come.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them…

A Season of Doubt

 Everything was going fine until it wasn’t.  I was continually pouring my heart out through my writings.  It was like God never stopped speaking to me.  My purse, car, and office were overflowing with sticky notes full of writing prompts.  I was blogging, vlogging, and had even started to do random live Instagram posts about what God was doing in my life.  This was out of my comfort zone, but I felt compelled to share what He was teaching me.  So I pressed on.

My family was on board.  My coworkers read my blog.   My friends and relatives watched my vlogs.  In my immediate family and friend circle everything was great, everyone was supportive.  But then, my church family found out.  

People that only knew about me, but didn’t know me began to gossip.  Gossiping turned to back stabbing and false accusations.  Then my very own words began to be taken out of context and used as weapons against me.  My peaceful path of obedience had become a treacherous road of hostility.    

I tried to continue on, but everything that I wrote had to do with what I was walking through.  Time after time, I would write a blog to only have it rejected by my accountability partners.  Not because it was unkind, untrue, or anything else like that, but because there was no way to share the truth of what I was walking through without giving my accusers more ammunition to use against me.  

So, I entered a time of waiting, a sabbatical of sorts.  It went on for a longer period of time than I anticipated.  It stretched on until I lost hope that I would ever have the desire to write again.  …But, eventually, my time of rest came to a close and I was once again prompted to engage.  The only problem now was that I had doubts, doubts about my writing.  Did God still want to use me this way or was I the one that wanted to reengage?  Had my long rest disqualified me?  Had I disappointed God by needing it?  If I picked up my pen again, would the Holy Spirit still be there in my writings or would they lack His presence?  If I did get His nod of approval, how would I reengage without having to explain my time off?

These questions, this doubt was exactly why I needed to take courage.  God knew that I would come to this place, this point in time, and that I would need to take a leap of faith once again.  He knew that I was going to have to walk out on a new branch of trust.

Through tears I asked my pastoral team for prayer and began to seek God’s face about my writing.  One evening I came across one of my old Bible journals where I had poured out my heart to God when I was struggling with laying aside my writing.  In this entry I  asked Him how I would ever be able to put myself back out there again after everything had come to a stop.  While rereading my heart cries to God, He reminded me about the necklace.  I ran upstairs and combed through my jewelry until I came across it.  

I rushed back downstairs holding this forgotten treasure in my hand, grateful that God had prepared this for me in advance.  He knew just what I would need to resume.  After clasping this necklace around my neck, I found myself asking God to give me the courage I needed to go forth.  I asked Him to give me the words if he wanted me to pick up my pen again.  

After praying, words began to flow out of me.  I am so thankful that God had prepared me in advance.  And that my need for rest, my humanity, didn’t disqualify me from His service.  He is my qualification, my righteousness, all that I need to walk through everyday.  He gives me courage.

Is there a part of your life where you need to step out with a Courageous heart?  Or maybe you feel like God is nudging you toward a season that you just don’t have the courage to walk through?  Are you having a hard time mustering the courage to stand firm for God among the hostile views of your colleagues, friends, or family?  If so, take heart.  God has overcome the world and there isn’t anything that we have or will walk through without Him right there beside us.  

Lord, God, thank you that no matter what we walk through, you have already gone before us and will go with us.  Help us to not get distracted by our circumstances but to be kept in perfect peace because our hearts trust in you.  Please give us the courage to step out in faith no matter what that first step looks like.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

• John 16:33 (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”
• Joshua 1:9 (NIV) “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
• 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
• Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!