Courage

Courage

Courage and bravery are often considered some of the greatest character traits that a person could possess. However did you know that you can not be brave if you aren't first afraid? Courage is defined as strength in the face of pain or grief and the ability to do something that frightens one.  Pain and grief and fear can present themselves in different ways for different people. It may be a personal illness or that of a child, it may be the loss of a loved one, it may be the loss of a way of life or job, or even fear of the unknown. However you define pain and grief, everyone is experiencing it in some way at this time in our lives. It may be a job that is uncertain, it may be fear of illness that is knocking on all of our doors, it may be loss of identity as we shelter in place and the life you knew has taken on a different face. Fear makes us feel weak, but without that fear we can not persevere. James 1:4 tells us “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Whatever you are facing today, God calls upon us to have courage. Over and over he commands us to have courage because he is beside us always. Joshua 1:9 reminds us, “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.”  How amazing is it to think that no matter what you are experiencing right now, you are not going through it alone. His mighty hand is holding yours with love and compassion, and his Holy Spirit is trying to bring you comfort. Are you embracing His comfort, or are you running from that which scares you right now?

The book of Joshua, where most people remember this command from, begins with the LORD commanding Joshua to take back the promised land for the Jewish people. They have been in the wilderness for 40 years at this point, and Moses, their leader for the duration of that trial, has just died. Joshua has been thrust into the role of leader of the Israelite army and God encourages him to be strnog and courageous not once, but three times before we reach verse 9, only to tell him again in verse 18! But more important than his repeated command is His reminder that He would be with him always. Not just for the duration of the trial, but ALWAYS.  “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua is facing the greatest trial of his life, and the life of all the Israelites is on his shoulders. Often when we are faced with the greatest trials of our lives we feel weak and powerless, but over and over God reminds us to “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. - Deut 31:6” And again in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” His reminder is that we can overcome anything with Him. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. -Phil 4:13”. Joshua could face hordes of enemies with the Lord on his side, what trial do you feel is too big to face on your own that the LORD can save you from?

As you face your fear, worries, and anxieties do you sometimes feel a sense of abandonment? Why isn't God rescuing you from your hurt? Do you feel like you are treading water alone in a vast ocean? Do you feel that questioning God during these trials indicates your lack of faith? I think that is what I struggle with the most when it comes to courage. I often am looking for an answer or a solution to a problem, and wonder what God's plan is in all of the pain and suffering. Does that mean that I am questioning or doubting God, or does it mean that I am seeking out God so that I can feel him present in my pain? In the garden of Gethsemane as Jesus was preparing to face the greatest trial of his life, he asked his Father, “if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke goes on to tell us that an angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. God can't always release us from our suffering, as our suffering is a way to help us persevere and mature in our faith, but he wants us to be able to draw on Him for strength and to know that we are never alone. He wants us to cry out to Him and ask Him to help us. Isaiah 30:19 reminds us that God promises to “be gracious if you ask for help.” Cry out to God with the pain and fear in your heart, share with Him all of your hurt, when you listen for his answer, don't listen with your ears or look with your eyes, feel His answer through His love for you.

In last week's study, I discussed my personal battles with stress and worry. This has been with me most all the days of my life, but definitely reached fever pitch 3 years ago when my youngest son was diagnosed with autism. I am a person who relishes in control over my life, and follow the ideal that if I act in certain ways I will get certain outcomes. That belief had gotten me far in life up to this point. However, now I was faced with a situation where my future and that of my child was completely unknown. This was not a situation I could directly control with cause and effect outcomes. Would my child learn to talk or communicate? Would my child ever have friends? Would my child be able to go to school with his neighbors?  Would my child be able to grow up and live on his own or get married or have kids? These were questions that I took for granted with my two older neurotypical kids. Those things were always just assumed. Your kids grow up, they leave the house, then you and your husband live your life as empty nesters. That's what everyone does, right? Now my future may not look like that, and I was completely overwhelmed. I was grieving deeply for the loss of the life that I thought my child would have. I was grieving for the loss of being able to go to social events as a family because my son couldn't handle it. I was grieving the loss of the life I had known and I was terrified. The isolation was suffocating at times because we had to limit outings from the home to prevent meltdowns.  When I was in the midst of my grief it felt like the words Be Strong and Courageous, were just words.  I couldn't feel those words reach my heart because my fear was living there instead, and wasn't making room for God's words. So instead God decided he was going to physically show me His love. He was determined to show me that things were going to be ok, no matter how they turned out.

I am a physical therapist. My job has always been to help people who are in physical pain to feel better. I have done my job for many years and helped many people and never thought twice about why the patients I helped were brought into my life. After all that was just my job, right? But then in the midst of my darkness, God sent me a patient who had been in my shoes and overcome. She would talk to me week after week about how it would get better and helped to strengthen my resolve. Then the next stage of our journey arrived, and my son had to begin speech therapy in the school system after First Steps concluded, and lo and behold the woman who helped to usher us in, was the wife of my CEO whom I had known for years. There is much to be said about a familiar, kind face in the time of uncertainty. She then retired before we were able to start in the school and the woman that took over for her was a long time patient of mine whom I also considered my friend. The woman who became his speech therapist who helped him to reach some major communication milestones? She became my patient and I was able to help her to overcome a very debilitating injury. Then came the time where it was decided that my son would need to attend the special needs preschool. We went to meet his teacher, and wouldn't you know it, she was a former patient whom I had helped during a very dark time in her life when her son was needing a kidney transplant. The stress was getting to her physical body and she came to me for help. Fast forward three years and here we are meeting again. Her son had successfully received his kidney and she was able to return to work as a special needs educator, my son's educator! I couldn't hear God in my heart, because I allowed my fear to be too loud, so God decided to show me again and again that he was with me, and that he was placing people in my life long before I would need them, just for this purpose. I often use this story when I tell my children how I know God is real. There were way too many instances for those to be coincidences and not divine intervention. Isaiah 35:4 reminds us “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” God saved me from my fear even when I couldn't hear Him, He came with a vengeance so I couldn't deny it was Him, my cries were heard and he strengthened me through those He placed in my life. Think of the trials you are facing. Can you see God's comfort through people around you? Can you see the evidence that God will no leave you alone and walks with you always?

In closing I could continue to post all the times that God tells us to be strong, and that He will be with us always because He repeats it in most all books of the bible at some point. However instead I want to leave you with God's parting words.  As we are struggling through fear, uncertainty, illness, death of loved ones, loss of jobs, loss of identity, or any other soul crushing struggle you may be feeling or experiencing, God reminds us in the book of Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making all things new!”” “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.-Romans 8:28.” So my friends, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. -John 14:27”. There are days and times where you aren't going to feel like a fierce warrior. There are days where it feels like your fears and circumstances will win. However remember that God is honing you into his warrior through your trials. It won't happened overnight, but stay the course, look with your heart for the ways that God is giving you strength. In the words of Casting Crowns, “the only way we'll ever stand, is on our knees with lifted hands. Make us Courageous!” And remember “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. - John 16:33.” You are desperately loved by the creator of this universe, and He wants you and will never leave you. When you struggle with strength and courage, remember that you are not alone. Your battle is creating a warrior for Christ, and each day we work toward the day when he makes all things new! How has God provided you with strength and courage today? Lay your burdens at His feet and allow him to give you strength when you can not find it in yourself.