Father, you have me thinking about this word “courage” that is used in Cor 5 verses: 6 and: 8
This word here means be of good courage, be of good cheer.
In looking up this word in the various Greek words used in other passages it can mean “take courage, be of good cheer, confidence and confidently, dare, ventured, deal boldly, to not dread or shun fear.”
Confidence and boldness are what stand out to me. My confidence must be placed in You alone, Father.
No one or anything else because all else will fail me. Even when we cannot see the “faithfulness”, You are still God. In my weakness, in my lack of faith, in my ignorance of truth, You are still Almighty God and still see me as holy and blameless (Eph 1:4, 5:27) before You by the blood of Jesus, Your Son. You reign on high, yet regard our every need. What an awesome God You are!
In all circumstances, You are faithful. I can be of good cheer because of knowing Your faithfulness to me personally. This is an amazing truth!! Having good cheer and a cheerful heart will come out of having confidence in Your love and faithfulness.
About courage: In a Clapham monthly letter Charlotte Mason’s book “Ourselves” is quoted and she says some things that have stirred my heart about courage.
Instead of thinking of courage as just bravery, “it is a matter of integrity”, having to do with our character.
That puts courage in a different light for me. The letter goes on to say that courage speaks more of boldness to defend what is honorable, to speak frankly of our convictions, to defy panic fear and anxiety by keeping one’s presence of mind, and to take the chance of becoming useful to others in times of crisis.
It is the idea of being useful to others. We are other-centered. We are not thinking about ourselves and how we look to others, or what they will think, but we speak with the conviction of truth, for Paul says that “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation….”
We do not allow the spirit of fear to intimidate us but call on the grace of God to speak truth in love, to give others the opportunity to hear truth, to not leave them abandoned to their “futile way of thinking. “
By Your Grace, make the very core, the very depth of my confidence always flow from Your throne. Enable me through the power of Your Holy Spirit to be unashamed to boldly speak Truth in love.
You are the Majestic One, enthroned with thousands and thousands of cherubim and all the host of heaven bowing down to worship You. You are the one and only God that lives!!
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