The call to Courage in a Time of Fear & Doubt

The Call to Courage in a Time of Fear and > Doubt > by John Hoyt > The word courage > has been on my mind for some time now. It is a little game I > play in reading magazines, journals, and the newspaper, to > keep a lookout for words of significance, and courage has, > for me, become one of those words. Sadly, it has not been > much in the media recently. As many of us are in a state of > shock or quiet desperation, courage is far from our > thoughts. > So what is courage? How do > we find it? How do we live it? Webster's Dictionary defines it as > “That quality of mind which enables one to meet danger and > difficulties with firmness, valor.” The word is derived > from the French word coeur, meaning “heart”, > and comes from the ancient idea that our character and the > best of our emotions come from the heart. The movie > Braveheart tried to portray > such a life of courage against all odds. A better film and > one that reaches deeper into the word's meaning is A > Man for all Seasons. This is the story of Sir Thomas > More, a man of great wisdom and nobility, who > refused to bow to the wishes of his king on a matter of > principle and lost his life for it. > No passage in Scripture > speaks better of courage than Joshua chapter 1. Moses had > been the Israelite nation’s leader for forty years, and > now Joshua was to take over. We find God, knowing his doubt > and fears, saying to him three separate times: “Be strong > and very courageous” and each time with a different > emphasis. First, he promises Joshua, “As I was with Moses, > so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake > you.” The second time, he adds “Be careful to obey my > instructions.” The third time we see his deep concern for > his possibly nervous servant. “Have not I commanded you! > Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be > discouraged. I will be with you wherever you go.” > What great lessons we can > learn from this passage. Joshua had doubts. So do we. He is > the same loving God and Father, and his promises to Joshua > apply to us now. > The Christian has every > reason to be courageous, no matter how dark the external > situation may be. How I need this courage as president of a > small, vulnerable company, whose financial future looks > bleak, even as I am writing this. But I can look back and > know that God is faithful and has provided all that I needed > in the past. God promised to be with Joshua in difficult > times: “As I was with Moses.” Being in difficult times > myself, that promise has special meaning to me. God's > second admonition, “to obey,” is just as applicable. If > I walk in obedience and love with my Savior, I can trust > that he will give me courage. Thirdly, in spite of all my > doubts and fears, God is patient and persistent in his > encouragement. He will always be with me wherever I go and > whatever I do. Nothing can separate me from the love of > Christ. Now is the time for courage! > © 2001-2009 H.E. Butt > Foundation. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission > from www.laitylodge.org > and www.thehighcalling.org. Thank You Gerry for sending this!