3 WAYS
COURAGE
CHANGES US.
I think we've misunderstood what it means to be courageous.
Somewhere along the way, we've convinced ourselves that courageous people don't get afraid. We imagine they're somehow wired differently than the rest of us. They're confident, fearless, and always seem to know exactly what to do.
But I've been a pastor long enough to know that's simply not true.
I've sat with people who were terrified about what the doctor might say. I've talked with parents who were worried sick about their children. I've watched people wrestle with difficult decisions, uncertain futures, and circumstances completely beyond their control.
And here's what I've learned. Some of the most courageous people you'll ever meet are also some of the most frightened. The difference isn't that they don't experience fear. It's that they refuse to allow fear to have the final word.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is confidence in the presence of Christ, even when fear is still there.
In Judges 6, God called Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites. The problem was that Gideon was terrified. When God found him, he was hiding from the very people God was calling him to confront.
Eventually, Gideon began to obey, but he still wanted reassurance that God would be with him. So he took a fleece, laid it on the ground, and asked God for a sign. He wanted the fleece wet and the ground dry. Then he asked for the opposite. And God graciously answered both requests.
I've always found that interesting. Gideon knew what God wanted him to do. He just wanted to know that God would be with him when he did it.
And aren't we the same way?
We want God to give us some reassurance. We want another sign. We want to know that everything is going to work out before we take that first step.
But brothers and sisters, God has already given us a sign far greater than a fleece.
He's Given Us
The Cross.
"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
Think about that for a moment. God loved you enough to send His Son to die for you when you were at your absolute worst. Why would you believe He's going to abandon you now?
The cross doesn't promise that life will be easy. It doesn't mean we'll never experience suffering, disappointment, or loss. But it does demonstrate the depth of God's love for us. And the risen Christ has promised to be with His people.
So if we really believe that Jesus Christ is with us, how should that change the way we live?
We Can Obey Even When We're Afraid
I think one of the biggest mistakes Christians make is believing they have to overcome their fear before they can obey God.
We tell ourselves that one day, when we're more confident, we'll share the gospel with that coworker. One day, when we feel more qualified, we'll step into ministry. One day, when the circumstances are right, we'll have that difficult conversation we've been avoiding.
But what if that day never comes?
What if God isn't waiting for your fear to disappear? What if He's calling you to trust Him while you're still afraid?
When Gideon finally obeyed God and tore down his father's altar to Baal, he did it at night because he was afraid of what the people might do to him. He was still scared, but he obeyed.
Y'all, that's courage.
Sometimes courage is a father finally taking responsibility for the spiritual direction of his home. Sometimes it's a husband admitting he was wrong and asking his wife for forgiveness. Sometimes it's a teenager refusing to compromise because everyone else is doing it. Sometimes it's a Christian walking across the street to tell a neighbor about Jesus.
And sometimes courage is simply saying, "Lord, I don't know how this is going to work out, but I'm going to obey You anyway."
Listen, God doesn't need you to be the most talented, the smartest, or the most qualified person in the room. He wants your willingness.
We Can Face the Unknown Without Being Controlled by Worry
I don't know about you, but I've discovered that some of the hardest battles we fight are the ones that haven't even happened yet.
We lie awake at night thinking about everything that could go wrong. We imagine conversations that haven't taken place, problems that haven't developed, and circumstances that may never happen.
And before we know it, we've allowed tomorrow's possibilities to steal today's peace.
I'm not suggesting that Christians shouldn't plan, prepare, or take responsibility. We absolutely should. But there's a difference between being responsible and believing everything depends on us.
Some of us are carrying burdens God never intended for us to carry alone.
"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."Matthew 6:34 | ESV
Notice that Jesus doesn't promise tomorrow will be free from trouble. In fact, He tells us that tomorrow will have trouble of its own. But He also reminds us that our heavenly Father knows what we need.
That ought to change something about the way we live.
It ought to change how we pray. Instead of spending all our time asking God to change our circumstances, maybe we ought to spend more time asking Him to help us trust Him in the middle of them.
It ought to change how we lead our families. Our children need to see parents who take their concerns to the Lord rather than allowing every problem to send the entire household into panic.
And it ought to change the way we approach our community. We don't have to retreat from a world that seems increasingly hostile to Christianity. We can engage our neighbors, love people who disagree with us, and boldly proclaim the gospel.
Why? Because Jesus hasn't abandoned His church.
The same Savior who told us to go and make disciples also promised, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
We have a mission to accomplish, and we have the promise of His presence while we accomplish it.
We Can Endure Suffering Without Losing Hope
Now, I want to be careful here because I don't want anyone to misunderstand what I'm saying.
Knowing Jesus is with you doesn't mean everything is going to turn out the way you want.
Sometimes the diagnosis isn't good. Sometimes the marriage doesn't survive. Sometimes the person you've been praying for doesn't recover. Sometimes you do everything you know to do, and life still falls apart.
I've been a pastor long enough to know that following Jesus doesn't exempt us from heartbreak. And I've lived long enough to know that faith doesn't mean we always understand what God is doing.
But here's what I also know. Our circumstances are not the ultimate measurement of God's love for us.
Our circumstances are not the ultimate measurement of God's love for us. The cross is.
Think about the disciples on the day Jesus was crucified. Everything they had hoped for seemed to be falling apart. The One they believed was the Messiah was hanging on a Roman cross. From their perspective, it looked like God had abandoned them.
But what looked like defeat was actually the greatest victory in human history.
Three days later, Jesus walked out of that tomb.
He defeated sin. He conquered death. And because He lives, those who belong to Him have a hope that even death cannot destroy.
That's why Christians can grieve without surrendering to despair. That's why we can walk through suffering without believing our story is over. That's why we can keep serving, keep loving, keep praying, and keep sharing the gospel even when life is hard.
Our hope isn't rooted in the belief that nothing bad will ever happen to us. Our hope is rooted in a Savior who has already defeated our greatest enemy.
You Don't Need Another Fleece.
Let me ask you something. What are you afraid of right now?
What is it that's keeping you awake at night? What conversation have you been avoiding? What step of obedience have you been putting off? What situation has convinced you that you're completely alone?
Maybe you've been asking God for another sign. Maybe you've been waiting for some unmistakable confirmation that He's still with you.
Y'all, look to the cross.
The God who did not spare His own Son has not forgotten about you. And because Jesus rose from the dead, you don't have to face tomorrow wondering whether He's going to abandon you.
So have the conversation. Share the gospel. Take that step of obedience. Get involved in ministry. Lead your family. Love your neighbor. Stop waiting until you feel qualified or until every fear has disappeared.
And when suffering comes, don't confuse God's silence with His absence.
I can't promise you that obedience will be easy. I can't promise you that everything will work out the way you want. And I certainly can't promise you a life without fear.
But I can point you to the cross and remind you of the One who promised never to leave or forsake His people.
Courage is looking to Jesus Christ and knowing that whatever happens, you will not face it alone.
And because He's with you, you can keep going.