The Reverend Billy Graham once said, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man [or woman] takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.” That quote came from an article “A Time for Moral Courage.” We certainly live in a time when moral courage is desperately needed in our culture. And we might wonder what we could do? What difference could we make in a world that seems to have gone crazy? Maybe fear stops us from taking a stand for our faith and beliefs.
[Tweet “Bravery isn’t about succeeding or failing; it’s about not letting fear imprison you from trying.”]
We’ve all experienced a time when we thought, or maybe said aloud and sincerely believed, There’s no way I can do this! Then we find ourselves doing what we thought was impossible. Bravery isn’t about succeeding or failing; it’s about not letting fear imprison you from trying. We could each have a positive influence on our communities by courageously standing strong and defending our beliefs, even during trying times, without fear of those who oppose us.
I admire the bravery and courage of every woman putting herself in harm’s way as a first responder, firefighter, police officer, and a member of the military to save and protect the lives of others. Many women find their inner brave when faced with a life-threatening situation. I once read of a mother who jumped into her car at a gas station and shot a man trying to carjack her car with her two toddlers in the backseat. She took quick decisive brave action to rescue her children.
[Tweet “Hurdles we have to overcome in our life can seem daunting and paralyzing”]
Hurdles we have to overcome in our life can seem daunting and paralyzing. Yet we read of amazingly brave women in the Bible who found the courage and strength to stand up against insurmountable odds. Esther and Deborah probably come to mind, but what about Moses’ mother, Jochebed, who gave him up for adoption to save his life and Miriam who followed her baby brother downstream and then approached Pharaoh’s daughter to see if she would like a nursemaid for the infant.
Or the two midwives, Shiphrah or Puah, who went against Pharaoh’s order to kill all the newborn Hebrew boys? Even when Pharaoh called them before him to explain why the babies were surviving, they didn’t flinch in giving him a story that the Hebrew women were stronger than the Egyptian women and delivered before they arrived. What bravery that must have taken with their own lives at stake, they risked everything to save lives.
[Tweet “As contemporary women, we also dig deep within our soul to overcome the enemy’s paralyzing tactics of fear, doubt, and discouragement”]
As contemporary women, we also dig deep within our soul to overcome the enemy’s paralyzing tactics of fear, doubt, and discouragement. With the Lord’s help, we’re all capable of taking bold, essential action to protect our physical and spiritual lives as well as the lives of others. I love what Cherie Denna, who is one of the present-day women sharing her story in Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith, says about how we can conquer our fears: “The only thing more powerful than fear is hope.
[Tweet “As believers, we know our hope comes from the Lord.”]
As believers, we know our hope comes from the Lord. “That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe” (1 Tim. 4:10).
[Tweet “Courage is fear that calls on God. Spiritual strength makes us brave.”]
Courage is fear that calls on God. Spiritual strength makes us brave.
When you prayerfully push beyond what you think you can’t possibly do, you’re braver than you know.
When has God given you courage to overcome a fear?
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You can take a peek into Everyday Brave on Amazon.
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