Courage

Crystal Drake

Courage is the opposite of fear. When I imagine what fear looks like, I think of my youngest granddaughter. She struggles sometimes with trying new experiences. For example, going down new water slides sometimes challenges her courage. When introduced to a new one, she usually hesitates trying it out. She needs encouragement from those she trusts. But even more convincing, she needs to see someone she knows do it first! That is usually all it takes to get her to take the plunge and then that first triumphant splash into the water is followed with many more; all the while she’s smiling and grinning at her own newfound courage. It’s equally gratifying as the grandparent to witness this visual transformation take place – from fear to courage.

As adults, our fears are less obvious and harder to pinpoint in our daily lives. I recently read this quote, “Courage pushes you to resist the impulse to shy away from the things that stir up your innermost anxieties.” This statement really struck me because I recognized myself in those words. I like peace and I am not always comfortable in confrontational situations. So when a conversation or situation begins to “stir up my innermost anxieties” I tend to back away. Now when I was younger and feisty, I loved a good argument. But as I’ve grown in wisdom, I’ve learned that throwing your best verbal punch at your opponent’s most vulnerable spot can cause lethal damage to relationships. So I’ve learned to be more careful with my words, to choose my battles, and to apologize first even when I’m certain the other person owes me one. These subtle social graces have allowed me to navigate some situations that otherwise, could have become full blown, all out wars.

However, as a leader in my community, I’ve found myself in multiple conversations that created that “innermost anxiety”. My first impulse is to “shy away” just to keep peace. On the other hand though, I firmly believe that anxiety of any kind in any area of our lives is a tool of our enemy. We need peace in every area and at all times. We need peace with every family member, every co-worker, every friend and yes, even every foe. The Bible teaches us that we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. Therefore, we have to realize that when we have conflict with others, it is an opportunity to tear down walls that the enemy has built. Without any resistance, walls continue to divide us. But with constructive dialogue (preceded by prayer), disagreements can be settled. People can forgive each other and begin to see new perspectives that we never considered.

I don’t consider myself a fearful person because I’ve challenged myself many times to take bold steps and try seemingly impossible tasks. Sometimes I’ve failed, but I’ve also had successes. But reading this quote has made me want to get more of my anxieties out in the open. When the light of Jesus is shed on anxieties – they disappear. And when our anxieties are gone, we can boldly walk over to those water slide steps and confidently push ourselves off from the safety of our comfort zones. At that moment, we will find ourselves cruising along at incredibly exhilarating speeds enjoying the cool water and then splashing down into the success and the life that God planned for us all along with that smile of courage on our faces.