I know what you’re thinking. Another lesson telling you “don’t be afraid to tell people you’re Christian” or “have the courage to stand up for your faith”, you’ve heard it all.
When we think about having courage as a Christian, why do we immediately think about our duty to preach or to stand up for the faith in front of other people? What does the Bible really tell us about courage?
Let’s start with a few verses from the book of Psalms:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16
“Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24
All these verses reveal one of God’s promises to us. That when there are challenges in our lives, He will guide us and support us. Courage, by definition, is “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear”. When the Bible speaks of courage, it is speaking about exactly that mindset. We are so blessed as Christians, to know the truth, and to be able to grow in a relationship with our Creator who is our source of courage. Whether it’s writing a test at school, having difficulties in friendships, having problems in the family, or facing sicknesses, God sees all of ours struggles and we know that we can fall back on Him. We can have true piece of mind knowing that God’s plan is always in our best interest, and thus face life with courage. Having this mindset & knowing that God is with us is the first step that will guide us in everything we do, say, and decide throughout the day. We are then encouraged to do our best, to do all things with love, not to be easily influenced, and to face life’s challenges.
Undoubtedly, when we face situations where our faith is directly being attacked or questioned, we should have courage to stand up for Christianity. However, we must remember that being Christian is a lifestyle, it’s about our character, and the choices that we make every day. This is where our God gifted courage comes into play most often.