Devotion: Courage
Courage
Please take the time to read Matthew 16:13-23
I generally reserve courage for first responders and the like. I don’t often think about courage when we face our own insurmountable obstacles. Regardless of how these obstacles seem to others, they are real to us.
Think about the middle schooler walking into her classroom for the first time. How about facing a health crisis of a loved one? How about your own? Or maybe it’s as comparingly insignificant as the Sunday Scaries because you’re dreading that meeting with an underperforming employee.
In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Sarah shared examples of how we can choose to use courage to confront our obstacles. She reminded us that fear is the lack of courage, or faith.
As a friend just reminded me when she was faced with an unexpected career change, “it always works out.” And I would add, “especially when you get out of God’s way.”
This is difficult as humans because we like to be in control, though we know we don’t know all the answers. I would offer we know very few of the answers. Much like when Peter rebuked Jesus in our lesson for today.
Courage is much more than standing up for what we believe in, though that is part of it. Courage is letting go of fear, being comfortable in the uncomfortable and letting God take over.
Dear God,
Give me the courage to choose faith over fear. Help me to remember that I don’t have all the answers. When my courage falters, help me to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Allow me the ability to let go of control so you can work in and through me. Amen.
Written by Randy Hawthorne
Having a rivaled human network, Randy makes it his personal mission to connect those humans to their next big thing. Randy has decades of experience in the nonprofit industry, having served as a professional and volunteer in a variety of organizations.
He enjoys mentoring students and entrepreneurs, occasionally makes his way to a theater stage, geeks out on local history and goes on dining adventures.