Developing COURAGE In The Face Of Fear
It takes a lot of courage to be a man. To make a difference in this world and to stand up for what is right and true, a man must have the courage to step out of his comfort zone and take some risks.
To do this, courage must be cultivated, especially for those of us who seek to live out our faith and hear the words that we all long to hear, "Well done - good and faithful servant!".
But how does one become more courageous? Let’s look at some practical ways that men can develop courage and why it matters so much that we do.
The Role of Fear
Courage does not mean the absence of fear or having the false hope that someday we can completely eliminate fear altogether. Having courage simply means that you have the strength and mental fortitude to face your fears head-on. To move toward them when everything inside of you wants to run.
It is human nature to feel fear in the face of danger or uncertainty; however, if we allow fear to control us (and that is the REAL issue here), then it will prevent us from living the life that God meant for us to live.
Therefore, if you want to develop courage in your life, one of the first things you've got to do is to identify the fears that are holding you back and then choose to take them on head first.
What fears are keeping you back from the life God has in mind? Start a list and identify what may be blocking your way.
The Power of Thinking Like Jesus
When life seems overwhelming and you feel like giving up, we have an example in Jesus of how to move forward and act like a man. In the Garden, when Jesus was confronted by the mob, he did not back down. Instead, he moved toward the cowards that had ganged up on him in the middle of the night. He faced his greatest fears without giving up.
On our own, we are tempted to do just that. Back away. Give up. Run. Abandon our manhood.
But when we turn our minds to our Savior, we see that there is no fear or challenge or difficulty that we cannot face. As we are reminded in Romans 8: "If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Courage, then, is possible because God is with us and for us!
The Power of Prayer & Meditation
Speaking of Jesus when he was taking on the mob, how, exactly, did he get to the place of such strength and courage? Prayer.
Jesus was praying diligently to his Father before they arrived. This is critical for us to understand if we, too, want to develop courage to take on the fears that we all must face.
Prayer is an important part of cultivating courage. When life gets tough or uncertain, prayer provides us with comfort and clarity and though it, God guides us towards making the wise - and tough decisions - rather than taking the easy way out.
Similarly, meditation (an often overlooked spiritual discipline) can also help fix our minds on Christ and on things above so we can respond appropriately as men during difficult times.
Both prayer and meditation require practice, but over time they can become strong and holy habits that will help strengthen your faith in God so that you will have the courage you need for whatever lies ahead.
Having courage means being willing to take risks despite feeling afraid; it’s about having hope even when faced with adversity; it’s about trusting God even when life doesn’t make sense; it’s about keeping your heart open despite getting hurt. Ultimately, courage is about being brave enough to persevere through any challenge thrown at you by this world because you know that He will never leave you nor forsake you!
As Christian men, let us remember that we have been called by God into his service – no matter how tough the task. Therefore let us use every opportunity that we have to cultivate and grow in courage!
