How to be Brave in Uncertain Times

I held a pen in my right-hand as I read the small gray card. It stated, “Any time, Any where, Any way, I will follow God.” At the bottom was a single line awaiting my signature to seal a contract to follow God where ever He would lead. It was a physical reminder of what it meant to be a Believer to cast my lot in with Christ and live for Him. Brazenly I signed the card, sure confident, naive.

Somehow when life seems to stretch out in a straight line in front of you it is easy to be brave. We fool ourselves into thinking that God’s plans are our plans. His way is the easy one that blesses our chosen course. We complain nothing will change and then we fight change tooth and nail. We cut ties when we ought to sink roots. We turn to stone when we ought to move. We forget God is less interested in our comfort than He is in our holiness, our ability to bring Him glory and honor.

So we stand in fake bravery telling God we will go, we will do, we will…and then He shakes our world. He places a call on our lives we doubt we can fulfill. What was once certain becomes a rollercoaster that speeds downhill at break-neck pace only to slowly painfully climb up the next hill. We rush through one door God is holding open only to stall and have to wait at the next door. We long to know the end, but God patiently shows us one step at a time.

While we stand in the uncertainty of life how do we bravely claim:

 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ… Philippians 3:8 ESV

Worth. Knowing Jesus is worth all the loss in the world. Believing this truth and experiencing it in the craziness of life is difficult. When we are scared and bravery seems far away we need to remember. Remember what God has done for us, recalling His character, His sovereignty, His goodness. Brave actions begin with deep trust. Deep trust finds its roots in experiencing God’s love and remembering how He has worked in our lives in the past. Oh to know God so well and to remember what He has done that when the crazy of life comes we can bravely stand and say “I trust God even in this situation.”

Father far too often I look at the circumstances of life and I’m afraid. I fail to rightly count the circumstances in my life. I cling to the way I want things rather than trusting You when life is difficult. Help me to really mean it when I say I will follow You anywhere, anytime, and do anything You ask. Forgive me for living in fear instead of bravely obeying You. Help me know You so well I do not doubt Your goodness, sovereignty, or love. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.