WarriorSample

The Warrior’s Courage

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

If you've been following Jesus for even a little while, you'd probably be willing to admit that it's not easy, and it definitely isn't always comfortable. 

My wife, Alice, and I were a few years into our marriage and just setting up our dream life in a place we loved. I had a great job with benefits and plenty of growth opportunity. Alice had built a thriving photography business from the ground up. We had a nice, big house, plenty of friends and family—but then we heard God unmistakably say, "Go."

Needless to say, we were scared! I had grown up in in the city we lived in, and we had both found our footing in careers where we thought we could be successful.  

Could Alice move a business to a new state? How would moving away from family and friends work? Common sense said, “don’t go.” Over the course of several months, however, consistent promptings from God solidified His plan—we were called to leave. We put our house on the market, put in notice at work, and God started to provide in ways that made no common sense. 

Gideon had a similar story. An angel of the Lord came to Gideon and told him that God had chosen him to defeat the Midianites that were oppressing the Israelites. But Gideon was the youngest in his family, in the smallest clan, and Midian was much bigger and stronger than Israel. But God called Gideon a "man of valor" and reminded Gideon that He was with Him. 

Like me, Gideon was a skeptic, so he asked the angel of the Lord to prove that Gideon had the power of God with Him. Moments later, the angel of God literally sparked a fire out of some bread and broth on top of a rock.

You know what Gideon did next? 

Gideon worshiped God, and then he moved in faith. I think godly courage is like that. God wants to use His imperfect people for His big and perfect will, and it's intimidating and downright terrifying sometimes. I've learned, however, that fear comes from a focus on our own weakness. Courage comes when we remember the promises and faithfulness of our good God and remove the focus from ourselves. It is only then that we are able step out in faith with confidence.

Consider: Where has fear stopped you from following God’s promptings? What step of courage can you take to obey Him?

-Ben, fighting fears