Within heroes lies the feeling of fear, worry, anxiety, self-doubt, etc. But what they do is that despite what tends to hold them back, they gather the courage to move ahead. They trust this inner voice that gives them hope that “what if it works?“.
In your deliberations about your plans for this life, pay close attention to your spirit being. He/she whispers amid the clouds of doubt, “What if it works?”
If there is a 1% chance that you will succeed, give it a try?What if it works?
While thinking about this message, I calculated Gideon’s chances of success in the book of Judges. He planned to go to war with 32000 troops but God reduced it to 300, which is 0.94% of his planned number. The irony is that his 32000 was about 4 times lower than the Midianite army. Now, put it in a context where he is going up against an army of about 135000. What was Gideon’s chance of success? Your guess is as good as mine, 0. Was Gideon afraid? Yes. But he trusted in what God had said and he won.
As a child of God, He has given you His Word: “Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” (Isaiah 41:10, MSG)
In this year, you will feel fear. Anxiety will knock at your door. The News will look bad. And of course, you are going to have a sense of self-doubt. But you’ve got to keep going because God is with you. Every little step will matter. And remember that slow motion is better than no motion. Steven Covey put it this way; Where you are going is more important than how fast you are going. Don’t let the feelings stop you. What if it works?
The year is still young and I was considering what makes some people more successful than others. Could there be a formula for their success? I wish there were but one thing I have discovered they do is their COURAGE to MOVE FORWARD.
Last month, I wrote about setting your goals and living one day at a time. If you could easily figure out how to meet your goals, then maybe the size of the goal wasn’t big enough. However, if you are surrounded by uncertainties and/or see giants on the land you intend to possess, then you need some fuel to MOVE FORWARD.
Merriam-Webster defines Courage as mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty . Cambridge defines it as the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation. To be brave and confident enough to do what you believe in.
It’s easy to move forward (requiring less or no strength) when you are certain about your destination but when every step you want to take leads you to the unknown, then you need Strength to move one step ahead of the other. When storms of life hit you hard, fear is inevitable and quitting may seem to be best option but don’t quit. Look up to God for strength to Keep moving forward.
Three things to consider when you need strength to withstand the storm and/or do what you believe in:
God is your strength:
The scripture says no man shall succeed by strength alone (1 Sam 2:9). Your strength isn’t enough when your dreams are bigger than you.
David saw Goliath and thought if God could help him kill those animals in the forest, he won’t miss this giant because God will deliver Goliath to him.
Esther was frightened, yet in the face of uncertainty she trusted that God will see her through.
And you, as you take steps into the unknown, know that with God on your side, you can do all things. You can accomplish everything and withstand any storm that comes your way.
Talk to God:
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8, NLT)
God has promised to lead you along the best pathway for your life. He is your adviser and protector. Nothing that would ever happen to you can surprise Him because every day of your life was written in His book before each day came to pass. He understands you more than you do about yourself. Therefore He is the BEST SOURCE of energy for your journey.
Discipline yourself to talk to Him always. Remember that He is interested in having relationship that will transform you. When you talk to Him about your fears and things you intend to do, He will provide remedy and urge you on.
Peter asked Jesus if he could come on the water, Jesus said Yes. Talk to God and He will provide the courage you need to move forward.
Trust in God:
Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way? (Proverbs 20:24, TLB)
In order to move forward, you have to be like the soldier who obeys instructions without questioning. Often times we want to know why God wants us to act in certain way(s) before we move.
In our world, when there is a proven records of a superior who always gets things right, no subordinate or member of the team dare questions his/her decisions. And everyone follows while he/she leads. Yet when it comes to the Almighty God, the Omniscience God, we question his strategies and sometimes choose not to obey.
Trusting God is essential ingredient in mounting up courage to move forward. When you trust Him, there is strength to move forward without questioning.
God knows your plans for the year and I can tell you that He is ready to help. He wants you to move forward because the Best lies ahead of you. Yet moving forward requires some strength, bravery, and confidence, all of which you can find in God, through Jesus Christ. He is READY to help You move Forward…Talk to Him Today.
Uplifting Christ 