From Sundi Jo: This is a guest post by Angela Bisignano. She has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and an M.S. in Ministry. She has been working with women for over fifteen years: counseling, consulting, teaching, and mentoring. Angela is passionate about empowering people to find the hope and joy in God’s high calling. Angela’s first book, Beautifully Gifted: Equipping Today’s Women for the High Calling of God is being released in September 2011. (Keep reading for details on how you could win a copy today!) She and her husband Gerard are raising their two sons, Jonathan and David. Angela spends her time divided between the beauty of Southern California living and the Sierra Mountains. She loves her family, connecting to the hearts of her boys, deep conversation, traveling, and long walks with her golden retriever, Bella. You can find her on Twitter and visit her website for more information.
Every day we have the opportunity to choose to live courageous lives. The choice may not always be easy; however, living a life of courage can be thrilling. According to Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, courage means: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand fear, danger, or difficulty. A lot of things exist in life that can keep us from stepping into courage.
Fear is probably the greatest factor in keeping us from living courageous lives. Fear can have a way of boxing in our world. It can have a gripping impact. It can influence us in so many ways.
- We can be momentarily paralyzed by fear.
- We can become physically or emotionally ill.
- We can be tormented for long periods of time.
- Fear can place major limitations on our freedom and lives.
The more we are able to understand our fear and the influence it can have on us, the greater the possibility of conquering it and over coming it. We are not created or called to live a life of fear; rather, God is calling us to a life of courage. I am reminded of the words written in the Book of Joshua,
Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. ~Josh. 1:9
These should be comforting words to each one of us. God has not called us to be afraid. He wants us to live a life of courage. We have a choice in the matter. We can live a life laden with fear, or we can choose to step into courage. The choice is up to us.
If we desire to live truly courageous lives we will need to be aware of those things that keep us fearful. Here are three important things to keep in mind when we feel our lives are more fueled by fear than courage.
God is here with us. We don’t need to be afraid.
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them, for the Lord you God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
~Deut. 31:6
God promises to give us peace of mind and heart.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14: 27
God doesn’t want us to be troubled.
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me.
~John 14:1
God never promises that our lives will be easy or carefree. What He promises is that He will always be with us, “I will never fail you, I will never abandon you” (Heb. 13:5b).
We can take great comfort knowing that whatever our life circumstances, whatever obstacles we must overcome, God is here with us. He will guide us
and give us everything we need to live lives of courage. All we need to do is to be willing. Willing to do what He is calling us to do. It may mean going against the grain of what everyone else is doing. It may mean taking on a new position or a transition in careers. It may mean venturing into a completely new geographic location. It may involve healing in an area of life that is causing you to be brokenhearted or has kept your heart in captivity. It may mean that you take a stand that others are afraid to take. Whatever it is be willing. Go where the courage of God leads you.
I love the words once spoken by Billy Graham:
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
Dare to step outside the box of fear. Be courageous and bold, step into the courage of God and you can change the world.
I am excited to give away a copy of Angela’s new book, not yet released, Beautifully Gifted: Equipping Today’s Women for the High Calling of God, to my readers. To get a chance at winning, you must do the following three steps:
- Leave a comment below. Answer Angela’s question at the bottom of this post.
- Fill out this entry form here.
- Share this post via Facebook or Twitter. If you tweet, you could say something like this: (Win your copy of Beautifully Gifted from @angelabisignano today: http://wp.me/p1GLwZ-G1)
On Friday, August 12, 2011, I will select one person, based on my evaluation of the comments. If you are selected, I will notify you via email.
What can you do today to step into courage? Comment below…