Take His Left Hand

Recently I attended a women’s retreat with a church we think we want to make our new church home. Yes, you read that correctly. It’s a church we’ve been courting. A church we haven’t officially committed to yet. And I registered for this retreat knowing no one. Not a soul. Didn’t even know who my roommate would be.

I felt unsure, insecure, anxious, and completely self-conscience. If I had made the decision to attend based on my feelings, I would have missed out on God showing up in BIG ways. I would have missed out on the extreme welcoming spirit of the women in this church. I would have missed out on all the truths from the speaker I gleaned. I would have missed out on meeting my roommate. We were friends within ten minutes of her setting her things on the lodge bed. She was God’s special blessing to me for the weekend—like having a built-in tour guide to meeting the other fabulous women in the church. She had made the decision to come at the last minute as well, so she wasn’t there for time away with her friends which meant she was completely comfortable letting me tag along as her meal and session buddy. I was never alone unless I wanted to be with just Jesus.

If I had followed my feelings, I would have missed so much.

Instead, I followed what I knew and believed to be true. Logic reasons, if I want to connect with more women in a new church, adding to my list of connections in a new home and season of life, then I should attend the church’s women’s retreat and see what happens. Where else would I find more opportunities for connecting in one place? If my biggest need is fellowship, I could stay at home hoping God would provide a friend (which He could), or I could step out in faith, do the hard thing, and trust Him to provide in a more nutrient-rich environment. I believe God provides for those who cannot provide for themselves, but most of the time, He also provides plenty of opportunities for us to help ourselves if we only have the courage to try.

There is a fine gray line here of moving forward in life in your own strength, intuition, and grit or moving forward with faith, trust, and courage that only comes from leaning into Jesus. In one forward motion, you depend on yourself, in the other, you are completely dependent on Christ to show up.

Someone told me choosing to attend the retreat was courageous. I blanched, completely unable to acknowledge or receive the observation about myself. I was terrified to go on that retreat! Did you read the first sentence of the second paragraph?!?!? Courageous? Me? She said anyone who does something scared is being courageous.

Psalm 27:4 and Psalm 31:24 both say to “take” courage. Take it—an imperative command and action. The other four times courage is mentioned, the audience is told to be courageous (Joshua 1:6,7,9, Deuteronomy 31:6). “Be” is a verb used to show a state of existence, something just “is.” Which means every time the word courage is used in the Bible, it is assumed the courage is already present. It already exists. It’s there for the taking. In this moment of time, courage is present to be taken. At all times. It’s right here. Now.

I just think the “taking” looks different than we imagine. In our minds eye, courageous people are determined, fearless, dauntless, and unimpaired. When in reality, courageous people are actually unsure, anxious, insecure, and forging forward with the weight of a thousand what-ifs on their shoulders. They just do it anyway. Courageous people do it scared. You take courage out of your toolbox for life, and you do good things, right things, risky things, great things. You do them scared until you’re not.

In my journey, I have found God rarely calms the storm before it begins. Meaning, He rarely calms my fears, anxieties, and worries before I take the step toward Him into the storm, take the step with Him off the cliff, or take the step back to Him down the narrow path I shunned. Why?

Because He wants to be our Hero! He wants the opportunity to show off and show up! He wants you completely dependent upon Him and no one else. Nothing else. How often do we complain about never experiencing the power and presence of Jesus? Well, how often do you take courage, past your own purview of control, past the horizon of what you can understand, and trust the One Who’s Greater than it all, Who sees it all, Who understands how it all fits together—perfectly? How often do you step into even the silliest of asks like attending a women’s retreat by yourself? Like doing anything by yourself? Like stopping to have a conversation with the homeless person on the corner? Like introducing yourself to a stranger because you feel the Spirit pique your interest in him or her? Like calling the family member who hurt you just to be kind, catch up, and say hi? Like volunteering for anything? Opportunities for courage come in all shapes and sizes. They do not have to be life-altering moments in time.

Think of the last time you got butterflies in your stomach about doing something you knew was a good and right thing. You knew your desire wasn’t sinful, but it was way out of your comfort zone. Think of that thing. Maybe it’s inviting the neighbors you don’t know over for lunch. Maybe you text the once-upon-a-time friend who hurt your feelings to see if they want to go for a walk. Maybe you volunteer to start a small group. Maybe you write a paper from God’s viewpoint and not the one your teacher will approve. Maybe you take an opposing viewpoint in a loving and respectful manner. What is it? What is the thing you think you’d like to do (that isn’t derived from a sinful desire)? Do you believe you are ill-equipped? Do you feel anxious about taking the first step, yet the still, small voice of the Spirit keeps prodding you in that direction? What is it? Name it. Tell a friend what you’re pondering. Cover it in prayer, so your motives are in check. Now, take courage!

If in God’s right hand is riches and blessing, I think in His left is courage, and He says take it. Let’s be clear. You don’t have to pray for courage. You don’t have to wait for a sign from heaven to be courageous. You simply lock eyes with Jesus and step out of the boat. Step into the good, right, risky, great sea of opportunity before you called life. You take courage; you don’t ask for it (Matthew 14:22-33).

Because the Source of anything ever-present, must also be Ever-Present. The power of Christ—Master of Wind and Sea, Creator of the Universe, Alpha and Omega, the Resurrected Lord, the Returning King —His power resides in and with His children. It’s right here, accessible at all times for the taking, for the having (Ephesians 3:20-21, Romans 8:11).

So, access the Source. Take His hand. Heed His voice. Do the right thing scared. Do the hard thing trembling. Do the risky thing quaking. Do the great thing terrified. But do it because we were not created to sit idle, but to walk daily with the Lord in the garden where He placed us giving of ourselves to His creation while fellowshipping with each other in the process (Genesis 2:4-3:24).

Adam and Eve took courage every day of their life before the Fall. Every day they experienced something new in God’s creation. Before sin, they knew no fear, so taking courage was as effortless as taking a breath. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection provided a way for His Spirit to abide within our every breath. His power accessible. To us. Believing in Him, placing all your trust for today and every day after in Him alone, provides a pathway back to His original design and plan for our life—effortless courage.

So again, I encourage you: Do the right thing scared. Do the hard thing trembling. Do the risky thing quaking. Do the great thing terrified—with Jesus. Hand in hand. Take courage. And when someone calls you courageous, smile knowingly and humbly tell the truth, “Not me, friend. It’s all Jesus.”