Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Today's blog is about how God has built courage in me through opportunities of learning to trust in Him, above all else. I want to give a few examples from my life, without going in great detail of each one. "Regardless of what today may bring or the trouble you are now going through, don’t forget that your God is stronger than anything in your life. So, be confident! The shadow of His all-prevailing presence guarantees that His power can turn even the worst situation into something good." [odb.org]
Let's begin at age 5, when I started showing symptoms of something wrong, like falling and my right foot turning in. I had a surgical biopsy of my thigh muscle and had to spend the night at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Way back then, 1976, children were put in a ward and parents weren't allowed to stay overnight with their kids. My parents say they left, but returned to peek in the window. I don't remember a lot, other than the surgery and getting 2 stuffed puppies from the nurses. I'm sure I was scared and it was a courage building and trust in God opportunity to learn from.
Let's go on to age 10, when I had a real surgery on my right foot called a tendon transfer. After this surgery, I had to manage on crutches with a cast on my leg for 6 weeks. I'm sure it was a scary time for both me and my parents, as to whether I would ever walk again. After an an ample time without the cast and just crutches, my fear had the best of me. One day when my dad was out of town, my mom put my crutches in another room away from me. It was a courage-calling and God-calling moment...'Help me Lord, because you are all I have to trust and depend on.' Do you recall moments like that in your own life?
Let's skip to age 22, when I was married and living in Arlington, TX. I got a phone call from my husband at work in the Navy, where they had a Naval Air Station. He was getting an early discharge from the Navy and we were going to move to Chicago, so he could start working for his dad and his business. CHICAGO???? I literally thought it was a death sentence with the weather they had up there. It took a lot of courage to do what I had vowed to do and follow my husband's lead. It also took a whole lot of courage to find the right college to meet all of my needs to finish my degree and graduate a year and a half later, in Aug. 1994. I trusted God to provide and He did for all my needs, including courage thru it all.
There are many, many other life moments that required both courage and trust that have brought me here to age 48. It has been quite the beautiful ride, sometimes a smooth sail and others a roller-coaster.
"We spend much of our time working or engaging in pleasurable pursuits of our own choosing. However, God wants our priorities to reflect His purposes—namely, to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love others through a life of service and sacrifice (Matt. 22:37-40). We can protect our future by yielding to the Spirit’s control and living out what Scripture considers most valuable: knowing God and obediently serving Him. Make sure that you put Him in charge of your mind, will, emotions, and appetite." [ intouch.org]
"Perhaps we dread poor health, financial problems, the loss of a loved one, or uncertainty about the future. Or maybe we’re afraid of failure because we feel weak and inadequate for a particular task or challenge. Whatever our fears may be, we must learn how to face them as God desires—with courage."
If you want to profit from struggles, be sustained in them, and come through with joy and victory, you must understand the following truths: [intouch.org]
1. God’s in full control of the timing and intensity of your trial, and He won’t let it go beyond the boundaries He has set.
2. He has a specific purpose for your suffering, which you may not understand until it is over.
3. This trial will be profitable if you submit to God and trust Him through it.
4. A trying situation is a chance for faith to prove genuine and grow stronger.
5. When you endure extreme pressure with unexplainable peace and joy, the Lord will demonstrate His sustaining power to a watching world.
6. The Father will use your difficulties to produce Christ-like character.
7. God will walk with you through trials.
8. The Holy Spirit will enable you to survive this and to come out a conqueror.
4. A trying situation is a chance for faith to prove genuine and grow stronger.
5. When you endure extreme pressure with unexplainable peace and joy, the Lord will demonstrate His sustaining power to a watching world.
6. The Father will use your difficulties to produce Christ-like character.
7. God will walk with you through trials.
8. The Holy Spirit will enable you to survive this and to come out a conqueror.