{You Are Brave} Doing the Thing We Don't Want to Do

There are things in life that we resist like oil resists fusing with water. 

Moments. Events. Relationships. 

Big and small new things that threaten to rattle us. We know deep in our veins that fighting it breeds consequence after consequence but our shaky hearts and wobbly self-confidence tosses out convincing arguments. 

But if we fail to press into the hard and choose to be brave, we cannot flourish or grow. 

Not an easy truth to swallow but a life-altering one to embrace. Think of those goals you have, the vision and dreams you store up in secret places of your sacred soul. Those are the monuments to be achieved by choosing your brave, surviving the nervous sweat-beeds, and facing the fears. 

Just this morning my wee little one reminded me why we must not back down from the things that make us better. 

A bundle of nerves for weeks, she confessed over and over how scared she was to start at a new school. “But baby, you are brave and kind and adored. Never forget how loved you are and how special God made you. You will do wonderful! Don’t be afraid.” 

I willed my words to change her heart but still she begged to coward from her classroom. Sure, in the parking lot she mustered a smile for me in her innocent, adorable way. But inside, her deceived bones were screaming, “You can’t do this. Be afraid. You are too shy. You aren’t enough. You need to be more.”

Because we love our Naomi so and believe big things for her, we prayed over her and kissed her and safely placed her hand in the teachers hand. We chose to help her walk into a new brave because she couldn’t do it alone. 

My baby didn't want to go, but I understand. You do too, don't you? We fight to pull back from the things that we think we cannot do. We arm wrestle God hoping to win an invisible battle but the battle has been won and we’ve already been deemed victor. Because He is Victor. And when we press into our God while pressing into our brave, we find that bravery is not about doing the brave without fear. 

Bravery is choosing to believe that the dream, the vision, the goal, weighs mightily more important than the momentary difficulty.

And the whole, "you need to be more", lie ... You and I get that too, don't we? Thinking we need to be more than we really are. 

Today, might you and I remind the enemy of our souls that that is the oldest lie in the book  - to be more than who we are - and we know it. And might we also remind him that the Mighty One has overcome his weak kingdom and given power to those of us who take hold of it, offering unbridled strength much like how the ocean sways to the moons-tide. 

Your brave might be getting up in the morning when you want to give up, or finally signing those college admittance papers, or working two jobs to support your babes, or teaching that class, or joining that team, or giving up that addiction. 

If all you do today is face your brave, that's enough. And would you take this one thing and burrow deep in your beautiful, good-enough brave soul….Your brave is not measured by human standards; it is held in grace by the hand of God. 

Hard things. We can do them. 

We need to do them.

My precious baby girl embodied me today. Oh the countless times I’ve wanted to back down and bow out when I knew I needed to move straight-lined into it. But God knows my heart is to live out what I teach them. That we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)

Bravery is beauty when beheld by our Savior.  

One last thing to tell the enemy while taking on our brave…he has lost the battle and we are not captives of him. We are free. Because bravery beckons freedom. We are freely bound as love-slaves to the lover of our souls. The one who holds our grace, our forgiveness, our redemption, and our eternity. 

So, my baby girl, she’s yours Jesus. Even now as I write this, she is sitting in school a victor stamped and sealed by you, the ultimate Victor. She is brave only because she is upheld by the one who sings over her…”do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

And you, sister, you are brave. And you, sister, are Jesus'. You are held by the one who sings over you…”do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right 
hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

P.S. Brave looks beautiful on you. 

 ********************************************************

Going Deeper

Consider:

1. Who do you admire for their bravery? Why?

2. What is a dream you have for yourself?

3. How can you be brave today to move toward that dream?