Sometimes, we can feel downcast in life – not at all strong or courageous. We struggle to make ends meet and to keep things together. Our souls are filled with doubts, fears and failure. Are we less courageous in those times? What exactly is courage? God told Joshua to be ‘...strong and courageous...’ (Joshua 1:6&7), but what does that mean and how do we find courage during turmoil and in weak times? I certainly don’t always feel courageous – sometimes I want to be the one who just hides somewhere, or runs away!
I was introduced to the music of Christian singer Kristene DiMarco a few years ago. I like most of her songs, but the one that captures me every single time is called “Take Courage”. In this song, she speaks to her heart and says:
Take courage, my heart
Stay steadfast, my soul
He’s in the waiting
He’s in the waiting
King David spoke to his soul as well – he addressed his soul in Psalm 43:5 (ESV):
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
If I look at these examples, I find myself contemplating that courage has something to do with the health of my soul. The moment King David could address the condition of his heart and soul, he was able to lift his head and trust again. Every time I listen to that song, I remind myself that courage lies ingrained in my heart, and that what I fill my heart with, will determine if I am courageous or not.
David chose praise; he lifted up his head (and his soul) and started praising His God – who is alive and his source of life.
Just before God told Joshua that he needed to be strong and courageous, He told him that He would never leave nor forsake him (Joshua 1:5). Never, ever, ever….
If we want to be courageous, we will need to direct our hearts, our souls, to God – His promises, His character. Only in Him will we ever find the strength and the courage to walk in whatever we find ourselves or whatever He has called us to.
Those who live in the world mostly live from the outside in. Whatever people experience on the outside, influences the inside (the heart and soul). As reborn believers in Jesus Christ, our inside, our spirit man, was renewed by Him. We are also filled by His glorious Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. This makes us a people who need to live from the inside out. We get our strength from God; it enters our inside, our heart and soul, and we live it on the outside. The storms outside are not the plumb lines of our peace or joy. The standard for our wellbeing is our souls being in right-standing with God, because of what His Son, Jesus, did on the cross for us! We, therefore, address our souls if they take strain; we fill and encourage them with the promises of our faithful God – the One who will never leave us, nor forsake us. Then, and only then, can we be people of courage, people who can face the storms because we are rooted in THE ROCK. We follow faithfully and we walk righteously; we have been redeemed and can stand on Him, our eternal promise of faithfulness.
Take courage, my friend: our God is faithful. He is true to His promises; He will never leave you, nor forsake you. When those times come that you need courage, drink first – drink from the Well of Life, drink deeply and encourage your soul with Him and His goodness. He cannot be unfaithful to you; it is not possible for Him because He IS faithfulness. Praise Him – He is worthy of it.
Take courage: HE HAS GOT YOU….
Blessings
Liesl
Women of Reverence welcomes our regular contributor Liesl Mare.