How Courage is Found in the Everyday
Courage is sometimes getting out of bed.
Courage is sometimes making coffee.
Courage is sometimes taking a shower.
Courage is sometimes speaking TRUTH to the lies.
Courage is sometimes believing He is here.
Courage has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with God’s presence.
Tweet ThisWhile the children of Israel wandered the desert for forty years, God’s presence was KNOWN. It was seen in the pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. The other nations took notice of this tiny nation. God’s presence was no joking matter to these pagan nations. Rahab spoke for all of the inhabitants of the Promised Land:
Joshua 2:9-11 – “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”
When the Israelites left Mount Sinai, God provided another picture of His presence. The Ark of the Covenant. A wooden box, decorated with gold and only allowed to be handled by the priests. In the book of Joshua, we find a new leader has emerged to lead the Hebrews into the promised land. Joshua, like Moses, was promised God’s presence to conquer the land.
Did he doubt? Maybe. Did the Israelites doubt Joshua’s abilities? Maybe. So God speaks to Joshua:
Joshua 1:9 – “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.”
Do we doubt? When we doubt our courage, we doubt God’s presence.
Joshua grew up listening to the wind from the pillar of cloud and closed his eyes at night to the pillar of fire. And God still reminded him. In fact, God did even more for Joshua. God had Joshua take the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan River first. Before the children crossed over, the Ark stood in the center and stayed there. Revealing the truth that God would indeed go before them.
The river of fear rushes around us, but God stands in the midst of us. Nothing brings us closer to God than fear. The fear of the unknown. The fear of past mistakes. The fear of having enough for today. A daily life in God’s presence is a life of courage.
The Lord calls us to be women of bravery, to be strong. Courageous. When our courage fails, we can say these truths to our heart:
God loves me, no matter my past and even into the future.
God is with me, no matter my past and even into the future.
God is my courage. He will sustain me. God’s presence goes before me.
In these truths, we find the crown of courage.
*Photo by Johnson Photography
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I love this. And I love your reference to all the nations knowing and fearing the God of the Israelites. People around us do know and see that we serve a God… and they watch us. I was reminded the other day how many people over the years have watched how I respond to different difficult life circumstances. I had no idea… but my God is being glorified, and I am humbled, and I weep when I realize that the pain I have endured for years is being used to bring Him glory and honor… That the courage He gives me each and every day to get up and move, to walk through another day trusting in His goodness, knowing that each day, every hour, every provision is a gift from His hand alone – all of this points not only me, but others who watch my life, to the fact that God is love, and He is grace, and He is forgiveness, and He is kindness, gentleness, humility, and wholeness. Oh, He is all of these things, and so much more… Thank you. Thank you so much for sharing this today. I love your blog. You are precious. <3
Yes! God is using us, to show how Great He is!! Thanks for reading & your sweet words Melanie! 🙂 Blessings!
loved reading your post a good reminder He is always with us
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Sarah – A crown of courage – I like it! Just the symbolism alone is fantastic – but I love how you share that Courage has everything to do with the Presence of God and not with us, or the situations. Thanks so much for sharing –I am stopping by from #WomenWithIntention today