by Shea Oakley. All rights reserved.
Someone once spoke of courage as being “resistance to fear, mastery of fear. Not the absence of fear”. For the Christian lacking courage and desiring it as a character trait these are words to live by. Many people wrongly equate bravery with fearlessness. Actually a total lack of concern about being in a dangerous situation is often more indicative of the proverbial fool. Someone who has no fear will soon find something to be truly fearful about! It is also a truism that there is no merit in performing a seemingly courageous deed if the individual doing it is not giving it a second thought. No, true courage means being afraid to do something but doing it anyway because it is the right thing to do.
To be cowardly is to allow our fears, whatever they might be, to control our lives. An existence lived avoiding danger is the most dangerous life of all. It most definitely is not a life that will please God. True courage is part and parcel to authentic faith. Our redemption begins with the decision to accept Christ as Lord despite the ridicule and, in some parts of the World the potential physical peril, which might result from our commitment. From that point on believers can expect many situations to arise through the years that will contain some element of risk. Under such circumstances we need to acknowledge our fears, yes, but at the same time defy them if we truly believe that the thing we must do is part of God’s perfect will for our lives.
The good news is that Christians can draw their courage from two places outside themselves. The first and greatest help for the timid person who is called to do something fearful is the Spirit of Christ Himself. As we abide in Him much strength is imparted to us including the strength necessary to be courageous. Through God’s presence with and in us we can do things which would have been impossible when we were natural men and woman.
The second place of help is in the encouragement of our brethren. Many a person has been persuaded to do what must be done by receiving the steadfast love and confidence that a friend can impart. Fear is isolating. Fear is never stronger than when we feel alone. It is in strong relationships, both with the Lord and with His people, that the “Much Afraid” can find the courage they need to become the peaceful warriors that the Lord desires them to be. The good things that come through trials can then be released into our spirits. Right defiance of fear is ultimately a pathway to greater character, and all the blessings that come with it.
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