“Then Jesus said to his disciples,

‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’” Matthew 16:24 – 25

Are you content with your relationship with God? Do you desire a dynamic, deeper, more intimate relationship with Him? If your answer is yes, your decision will certainly cost you.

For years, my relationship with God felt satisfyingly comfortable, yet inwardly, I sensed a static, stagnant, apathetic stupor. My dilemma compelled me to urgently pray for a hungry heart of spiritual discontent — a discontent that only subsides with a wholly surrendered heart and life.

In today’s verse, Jesus unapologetically outlines authentic discipleship: deny self, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. He purposely reiterates His declaration by clarifying that His disciple must lose his life to ultimately find life. In today’s narcissistic world, from birth, we are indoctrinated to value self-worth, self-gain, and self-acclaim. Jesus’ prerequisite for discipleship is unashamedly counter-cultural. At first glance, Jesus’ declaration and expectation seems impossible to accomplish, but for believers courageous enough to confront the grand illusion of a static faith experience, daily self-denial is the non-negotiable cost of deeper intimacy with God.

Are you willing to daily and bravely never be content with your spiritual status quo and to surrender your life for greater discipleship intimacy? If your answer is yes, then your decision commences with audacious ambition, courageous confession, soul submission, and relentless resolve – continuing everyday of your ransomed but rewarding life. Renowned brave-heart missionary, Jim Elliot, concluded, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for redeeming my life with your blood. Empower me to become a brave-heart disciple — a disciple never content with a static, stagnant faith experience.  Create a constant spiritual discontent in my heart that can only subside by daily and wholly surrendering my life to your will. Amen.

By Allan Mitchell
Used by permission

FURTHER READING

Courage to Speak the Truth

Be Strong and Courageous

Swimming to the Savior

The post Become a Brave-Heart Disciple appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“When Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his coat on and threw himself into the sea” John 21:7

Impetuous, wonderful, daring, loving, repentant Simon Peter is determined not to miss this meeting with his risen Lord. He quickly dons his coat and plunges into the water. The distance to the shore with its charcoal fire and forgiving Lord are but a few oar strokes away for his muscled arms. It would have made more sense to stay with the ship; they all would have reached shore eventually. He certainly gained no dignity by his impetuous act. But Peter acts on the small vision he possesses, meets his Master and hears a message meant especially for his aching heart.

Lord, help me act on my Spirit-guided whims instead of staying safely in the boat.  Help me know when you call from the shore, then give me courage to plunge in and swim toward you in spite of the derisive comments of onlookers. Only then will I feel the warmth of your fire and clearly hear your voice.

by Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

FURTHER READING

Courage to Speak the Truth

Be Strong and Courageous

Become a Brave-Heart Disciple

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The post Swimming to the Savior appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Courage feels like a big word. By definition, courage is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. (merriam-webster.com)

Sometimes, courage is loud and obvious like when David fought Goliath. Right there in the action, everyone around saw how he defeated the giant. And those not there to see it definitely heard about it.

But courage isn’t always showy. Sometimes it’s quiet. You might see it but not be able to identify it at the time. But it’s courage nonetheless.

I think of Mary who probably heard the whispering of others as she walked by and Joseph who took Mary as his wife, even though she was already pregnant. Although the angel confirmed what the Lord wanted them to do, I imagine they still faced the town’s gossip and rumors. And they had to have had courage to face what others said without starting to doubt themselves and maybe even what they heard the angel say.

But what about us? What does it look like to be courageous?

I don’t know what you’re going through, but I know sometimes it’s hard to feel courage within ourselves. Disappointments and setbacks make us feel like courage is something for other people and that our lack of courage is too great.

But don’t be fooled. Even when we can’t see our own courage, others can see it in us.

What does courage look like in our everyday lives?

* Courage is getting back up when we feel like we keep getting knocked down

* Courage is trying again when nothing is working out or we don’t know what to expect.

* Sometimes courage is just getting up again in the morning and facing the day. Maybe it will be just as hard as yesterday was. Maybe it won’t. But we won’t know if we don’t keep trying.

* Courage is persevering when we don’t like our circumstances. It’s looking at the hard day ahead and putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward. It’s saying, I don’t want to do this, but I have to, and I know I’m not alone—God is walking with me.

* Courage is knowing what we can’t do alone, we can do in God’s strength.

* Courage is crawling out of bed to face the day when we’d rather stay buried under the covers.

* Courage is making the decisions we don’t want to make and taking that next step we don’t want to take.

* Courage is sitting with someone in their difficult, heart-breaking circumstances so they won’t have to sit alone.

* Courage is continuing to dream when our dreams seem unrealistic or someone says they can’t happen. Courage is finding a way around the doubt.

* Courage is walking through the known and the unknown with eyes focused on Jesus.

* Courage doesn’t look one specific way. It’s different for every individual and every situation.

And sometimes we don’t even know what our own courage looks like until we can see it in hindsight. Then we look back and wonder how we made it through a particular season of life.

There’s no shortage of verses about courage in the Bible, but here are a few to think about.

“Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety.” Job 11:18

“Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” Psalms 27:14

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:13

“So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!”  Psalms 31:24

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13

By Laura Rath
used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Courage to Speak the Truth –  by Charles Stanley
• 6 Verses When You need to be Brave | by Laura Rath
• True Courage – by Max Lucado
• Be Strong and Courageous – by Charles Spurgeon

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The post Quiet Courage appeared first on Thoughts About God.