4 Unexpected How to's to Choose Courage in Hard Seasons - Jeanne Takenaka
Contents
How do we choose courage?
Have you ever walked through seasons that overwhelmed you with emotion and heartache? This summer, though it held wonderful memories, also unlocked much heartache. Lots of hard, painful things have been going on in our family.
A friend who is a prayer warrior/encourager/amazing supporter sent me a card. When she called me “quietly courageous,” I about cried. I don’t feel courageous. At times, I feel like a failure. A coward. A snail curled into her shell.
But even a week after reading her kind words, I kept trying to analyze how she saw courage in me. God showed me a few things about how we walk in courage.
How we choose courage
Choosing courage is active. We don’t just say, “I’m going to live in courage.” We have to make the choices that help us live in quiet courage, especially when life is hard.
Courage is more about showing up, especially in hard, painful moments.
4 Unexpected How to's to Choose Courage in Hard Seasons—Courage is more about showing up, especially in the hard, painful moments #tellhisstory #choosecourage #perspective Click To Tweet
It’s in those times of weakness, of feeling all the horrible emotions and trying not to get spun up in all the condemning thoughts when we have a choice. Will we trust God?
There. Right there is courage.
Courage is being transparent with the Lord
I like to be the one who has the plan to get through every circumstance. But you know what? Being determined to live by a plan subtracts God from the equation. Choosing courage looks like us admitting to God that what we’ve been doing isn’t working. It’s asking for His help, His perspective. His eyes to see things and people the way He does. Courage is owning the truth that we can’t do this (whatever “this” is) without Him holding our hand.
Courage is choosing to trust God more than ourselves and especially more than our fear
I’m a planner. I’ve shared before how my craving for control is a cover for fear. When I’m trying to control situations and myself, I trust myself far more than God. Trusting God requires us to believe He will work His best plan in our lives and in the lives of those we love. We can’t trust God and still be in control.
We either trust God, or we trust ourselves the most.
Fear feels so real, but God is bigger and far more powerful than fear. When things seem dark, and hope seems distant, God is trustworthy and steady. He loves us and will bring us through our hard seasons.
The truth is, sometimes God allows the worst case to become reality. This truth tempts me to fear rather than trust Him. But it’s only when we trust our Father, no matter the outcome—and His love for us—that we find peace in the hard seasons.
Choosing courage is asking God to meet our needs
Especially in the United States, we are blessed with so much that allows us to live with a large degree of self-sufficiency. This is a blessing, but it can become a curse because we then begin to believe we can meet all our own needs.
4 Unexpected How to's to Choose Courage in Hard Seasons—God values a humble heart. When we choose humility and invite God into our hard season, that’s a way to choose courage #tellhisstory #choosecourage #humility Click To Tweet
When we ask God for what we need, He is always faithful to provide it, whatever “It” is. Physical, mental, emotional, spiritual needs—nothing is too difficult for Him to provide. It’s humbling to ask someone else to meet our needs. But the thing is, God values a humble heart. When we choose humility and invite God into our hard season, that’s a way to choose courage.
And God honors that.
Conclusion
I’m still in the middle of my hard season, but I’m choosing courage. This doesn’t mean pulling a Super Woman and flying into danger. Courage is often a quiet, unobtrusive decision made moment after moment. And trusting God will meet us right there.
Regardless of where we are right now, let’s choose to walk in quiet courage that simply shows up and trust God to bring us through.
What about you? What does quiet courage look like in your life? How do you live out courage in your difficult seasons?
Watch a short video I created for you on choosing courage.
*****Since next week is the first Tuesday of the month, we’ll link up right back here.*****
Come share your story at the Tell His Story linkup. Connect and be encouraged by like-minded friends! #tellhisstory #linkup Click To Tweet
Most weeks, I link up with Grace and Truth, Anita Ojeda, Instaencouragements, and sometimes Let’s Have Coffee. Come join and read more encouraging posts!
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
Each week we gather here as storytellers, word weavers, and encouragers to make His name known. Our story is God’s story and this small corner of the blogging world, where we come together each Tuesday, needs you. This is a place where poetry, snapshots, prayers, and stories find a safe spot to nod in agreement that what we have to say matters. I am glad you are here and would love to have you join the #TellHisStory community. Add your own encouraging post through the link below. Spread some love by visiting your neighbor and leaving your own encouragement. Click here to read more about the #TellHisStory community and find a button to add to your site.
