Having Courage in Christ
After listening to me whine about being overwhelmed, someone in my recovery group recommended a different word. “Full.” Life can be full. The people, activities and opportunities in any given day, week or month can fill our lives with blessings. How we see these blessings has a lot to do with how we see Christ.
God provides a great perspective in Joshua to encourage us to find His provision in the fullness of life.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV
“Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Joshua 1:9 MSG
The contrast between fear and courage is quite distinct. Fear can overwhelm us, often caused by circumstances and pressure. This emotion is often involuntary and irrational. We feel it as a most basic instinct.
Courage, on the other hand, is a choice rather than an instinct. We must make the decision to choose courage. This often means pushing through our fear, not necessarily canceling the feeling or diluting the fear. Courage is doing the right thing in spite of fear.
When we live in the boldness of Joshua 1:9 our lives can be full rather than daunting. We learn to trust the Lord as our true source of strength. We may not have all the answers, yet we know and trust in the One who does.
God’s promise to us is that He will never leave us or forsake us. His promise to be with us changes everything about our perspective. Trust in Christ makes our life full. It gives us strength and courage even when the people, activities and opportunities of life may make us feel overwhelmed. - Caroline Poe, Minister of Discipleship & Pastoral Care