How to Be Courageous {in Life’s Challenges}

Having courage sounds wonderful until you really need it! Do you wonder how to have courage? Especially when you are hit with life’s challenges, you might wonder how you can be courageous. Read on…

Recently on my Facebook page, I asked this question: “What does it mean to be courageous?” I love what my friend Cheryl had to say about how to have courage:

My husband has a coffee cup with a quote that reads, “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway,” — John Wayne.

I say don’t trust in horses, chariots, or things of the natural sort, but rather in the Creator of all things. He possesses hindsight and foresight. He breathes courage into us and will bring strength smack-dab in the middle of our weaknesses.

Even if fear breathes its disgusting breath down the nape of a neck and whispers lies into ears, He remains our Comforter and our Encourager. —Cheryl

I love Cheryl’s words.

Courage isn’t something we really think about until we need to. Typically when we face a life challenge or a situation out of our comfort zone we want everything fixed . . . fast. We want relief from our troubles at no cost to ourselves. We pray for peace and safety.

Instead, it’s important to see fear and worries as opportunities to hitch up with God—a need to be courageous points us to a need for God! We need to learn how to have courage by leaning on the Strong Rock.

How to have Courage

1. Saddle up and turn to God. If there were never any challenges, you wouldn’t need God as much, would you? And you wouldn’t discover how to be courageous. Turn to Him.
2. See fear as an opportunity. When we are scared we’re more willing to pray and ask God to take us out of the situation. Use your challenges and fears as an opportunity for growth and trust.
3. Search your heart. We pray for a straight and easy path. We want Jesus to fix our situations, but we often don’t want Him to deal with our own hearts—our sins and fears—that we haven’t surrendered to Him. Search your heart and ask, “What is causing me not to trust You completely, Jesus?”
4. Listen to God’s voice. Hear his whispers of peace. God’s Word says, “But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them” Isaiah 53:6.
5. Know God is faithful. Never once have you had to walk alone. God has always been there, and He’ll always be there still. Listen to this song and remember that.

I’d love to hear from you. What is the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? How do you have courage?

Interested in some similar posts to this one? Check out these:

• God In Pursuit

• Do You Question if God Remembers You?

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