“Be strong and courageous . . the Lord will go ahead of you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT
“A life without courage is a life lived too small, without hope of success or reward.”
My thoughts today are about “caution and courage.”
There are many excuses for lacking courage. If there were no risk or cost, courage would not be required. It is important every day life to find reason for courage. People demonstrate courage when they believe that doing so can make a difference. Courage requires being unafraid to fail, and certainly unwilling to fail by not trying.
Courage is pushed aside by foolish caution. Caution neutralizes courage. Jesus told a parable about three trusted servants given differing measures of their master’s wealth, and the responsibility to invest their master’s goods and account for their profitable industry upon his return. Read Matthew 25:14-30. Two of the servants were diligent, demonstrating courage in their business dealings for the master, and were rewarded accordingly with greater privilege and responsibility.
One servant who had received the least, allowed his caution to paralyze him. He merely hid what was given him to be safely returned to his master, but without increase. Why? He was afraid to fail so he didn’t even try, which guarantees failure. He lacked courage and his failure brought his master’s displeasure and his own loss.
Living life fully demands courage. A life without courage is a life lived too small, without hope of success or reward. Obedience to do what God asks requires courage. Believing in yourself and God calls for courage. Noah had courage when he built an ark because God told him to do so, even though he had never seen rain before. Hebrews 11:7. Abraham was courageous when he “went out, not knowing where he went.” Hebrews 11:8. Moses gathered his courage when he went before Pharaoh at God’s command. Hebrews 11:24-28. David was courageous when he faced a towering giant with a shepherd’s sling and stones, even “running to meet him.” 1 Samuel 17:48. Nathan possessed courage when he corrected a king for his adultery. 2 Samuel 12:1-9.
What did they and others have in common that strengthened their courage? They believed this promise, “Be strong and courageous . . the Lord will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT. If you knew that God was with you and would neither fail you nor forsake you, would you live differently in your everyday life, in the decisions you make and the actions you take? I think you would!
Lose that confidence and life unravels around you. Courage flees. Israel lost courage, not entering the land promised by God. They feared they would fail; they felt God would fail them. This was their reasoning, “We saw the giants and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so were we in their eyes.” Numbers 13:33. Caution overwhelms when adversity minimizes opportunity. Courage is born when opportunity looms larger than any adversity around you. The problem you face may seem larger than God who is with and within you – but it never is, nor can it be. Be done with foolish caution. God is always your best reason for courage.
My prayer for you today is that the Almighty God remains all mighty in your eyes.