What is brave or courageous to me, might be easy for you. What is easy for me, might take every ounce of gumption you can muster. Courage is relative.
As I tried to press into it, I realized I have too often been controlled by a fear of hurting someone else by doing what is right for me. This kind of fear is really co-dependence, I think. It's about the fear of embracing and then acting on the understanding that I am really worthy of a better, different life...because whatever my current situation is safe and predictable. Even if it's mediocre, it's at best laced with only a glimmer of the "big life" that I'm capable, worthy of and called into. It took courage for me to step out of that safe life into this new, unpredictable one. And, even now, each step requires a big, deep breath and a summoning of courage.
My courage, for where I am right now.
And, it's not the same as the courage that you need to call on right now.
I'm guessing that for most of us, there is some big decision looming. Some next step we think we might want -- or maybe even need -- to take. Some challenge or dream that is crystal clear, but feels un-attainable. Some risk or adventure that makes us tingle with anticipation but that we just haven't acted on yet.
In fact, I have a list of friends that I'm praying for. And, in every case, that "courage" word keeps coming up. Each of them is in a different situation. Opportunities. Challenges. Storms to keep walking through. New adventures to take on. Big changes to navigate.
Whatever the case may be, I'm praying courage over each of you. I'm praying courage for our society, actually...I'm tempted to get on a soap box here about the lack of courage to simply do the right thing, be honest, have integrity, admit our weaknesses, take bold steps out of love for others or ourselves. Courage to stop behaving as if our lives don't matter, and that we should allow ourselves to be walked on, manipulated, pressured or bored into anything other than the big life that we're called to.
(soap box officially stepped onto...sorry...will step back down now).
As I re-read this post, it really is pretty random. Courage is relative, and necessary to get to wherever we are being called by God.
So, for now, I'm going to keep praying courage over my friends and anyone else that I sense God tells me to...and, I'm going to update the mantra I wrote about a few weeks ago...now: Be Courageous. Trust and Receive.
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