Courage is Learned

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~5 min read

Hi there! Welcome to Well Lit Soul. Where we seek God, face darkness, and shine brighter. This season of the blog is all about learning. So today’s blog is called “Courage is Learned”.

When I was in college, I remember hearing someone say “fear is False Evidence Appearing Real”. And I was so energized by that idea. Anything I’m afraid of is untrue, fake, or fraudulent. How inspiring! I really held on to that belief until graduate school when someone said that idea was completely unfounded. There are a number of very real things in life that cause fear, so to pretend that they are some sort of mirage is unhelpful and maybe even harmful. Also, fear in and of itself is a very real feeling and to pretend that it isn’t ignores our call to learn to face and manage it. So, I had to unlearn that idea about fear and learn something new about it instead. A few years later I was reading something that explained courage doesn’t exist without fear. In fact, fear is a prerequisite for courage because courage is used to drive out fear. It is the inner strength used to face fear, danger, or difficulty. So rather than operating as though fear isn’t real, I began learning to build and rely on courage to press forward in spite of fear. 

And I think this makes far more sense, especially when you look at scripture. Almost every time courage is mentioned in the bible, it either says “be strong and of good courage” as in Deuteronomy 31:6-7 and Joshua 1:6-18 or “take courage” as in Mark 15:43 and Acts 28:15. And that’s usually because someone is afraid of a great challenge or being asked to do something incredibly difficult and they have great uncertainty about how things will go. But they are assured that the power and strength of the Lord is with them to carry them through. And like we discussed last week, there is some surrender that takes place here. Letting go of what you think or know and trusting God’s instructions and providence.

So how do you develop courage? How can you learn to build and rely on it? Well, that brings me to another quote by Bob Proctor I saw this year. It says “faith and fear both demand you to believe in something you cannot see. You choose.” And this I believe is the first step. Every time you face uncertainty of any kind, you get to decide how you respond. You get to pick faith or you get to pick fear. And if you ask me, I think faith is the far more difficult choice. I think running, hiding, or avoiding fearful situations are all fairly instinctual. But we have to learn how to have faith, trust, confidence, and hope in God’s power, which we can’t always see, to care for us when we encounter danger or difficulty. Because taking courage isn’t about relying on your own strength or understanding. It’s recognizing that our own power is insufficient so we need confidence that God is the ultimate provider and His way is best. 

So then the question becomes, how do you build confidence in God? Like all components of faith, they can take years to grow and develop. But I think it’s two cyclical steps. First is to learn God from His word. See for yourself how He provided all the way from Genesis to Revelation. Second, when you encounter your own uncertainties in life, rather than trying to gain your own understanding, rely on God to lead you through the unknown paths. Ask for Him to direct your steps and to guide your way. Proverbs 3:5-6 says

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

And we have to do this repeatedly. Learn God and have faith in Him. To commit our hearts, minds, and spirits to be strong and courageous. We have to be determined not to give in to fear, cynicism, and despair because that is the enemy winning. We have to choose courage every day. To face our fears of the unknown, of disappointment, of pain and anger, of any and every form of darkness. Relentlessly look for the light because God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, 1 John 1:5. And ask God to protect our light, especially when we’re in a storm. Our souls are easily influenced when we are afraid. That’s why the devil tries to capitalize on it. He wants to use your fear for his good. But we can’t have that. If I’m going to be used, it’s going to be by God exclusively! Which means we have to surround ourselves with as much light as spiritually possible. It needs to be both around and within us. Cut out everything that is darkness and pursue light alone. And when you get weary and the darkness shows up, find the encouragers. The people who can provide you with courage or cause you to be courageous. Those are the light sharers. Those are the well lit souls. The ones who daily choose to seek God, face darkness, and shine brighter. And together we can live like Psalm 31:24 says,

“Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.”

Connection Question: What is your relationship to courage? How has God provided you with good courage? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to connect with you about it.