Courage with Cold Feet
Benaiah son of Jehoida was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 2 Samuel 23:20
Benaiah was one of King David’s ‘mighty men.’ His résumé reads: ‘Benaiah…was a valiant fighter…He…went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.’ (2 Samuel 23:20) That’s what is called ‘courage with cold feet.’ The greatest courage of all is showing courage in the face of fear. Someone said, ‘Courage is just fear that has said its prayers.’ When you know you have heard clearly from God, you are filled with faith in that moment. It puts steel in your spine. But then, as you move out in faith, you encounter the lions of fear. ‘What if this doesn’t work? What if I fail? What will people say?’ Suddenly you’re having an attack of the ‘what ifs.’ Mark Twain said, ‘Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.’
You have to decide whether you’re going to become a warrior—or a worrier. There’s no middle ground. When you’re faced with a health crisis, a family crisis, or a financial crisis, you either choose to stand on God’s Word and fight, or give in to worry. This side of heaven we will never fully understand why bad things happen to good people. But we know that God is good—all the time! So when bad things happen, you will either give in to fear and allow it to destroy your peace and well-being, or you will become a warrior armed with God’s Word and rise up against it. When fear threatens to engulf your mind, stand up with the Psalmist and say, ‘Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.’ (Psalm 56:3)
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me courage in You to face the things in my life that are fearful—knowing You are always there to see and get me through. In Jesus’ Name, Amen