Courage

Courage is defined differently depending on who you talk to on the subject.  Wikipedia defines courage "is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, orintimidation. "Physical courage" is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death, while "moral courage" is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement."


I remember that Jesus warned Peter that Satan wanted to sift him as wheat.  “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Look closely at the last sentence, which is verse 32, "And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers". ~Luke 22:31-32


Peter would need courage to return and in doing so would be able to strengthen his brothers.  Not just courage, but determination as well.  Being human we're incredibly hard on our self for failures and become extremely embarrassed when we stumble or fail.  So, Jesus was planting the seed in advance that Peter would need courage.


Peter goes on to proclaim his support for Christ up to and including death.  Jesus knew Peter's heart was in the right place and like all of us, He knows the human condition and the weakness to declare things in haste.  Never doubt that Peter loved Christ as deeply as any of us or any of the other disciples, Christ certainly didn't.


It takes boldness, courage and determination to stand up and hold to your beliefs when you're alone.  It takes a greater measure of these to climb back up from a fall.  We know it can be done for God's Word is full of examples.  Men and women have fallen or made mistakes and yet they went on to have positive impacts for our Father's Kingdom.


If we lack courage, we have only to ask our Father to help us.  Make no mistake in asking, He will allow the testing to begin. Opportunities to be courageous will come.  Courage, like faith, requires action in this life.  We can't claim faith without putting it to work.  Courage is the same way, we must act courageously.  Both courage and faith gain strength in the same way, through action.


Christ overcame death and the grave for all mankind.  We have only to believe this simple truth.  As His children have within us the same character of Christ, because we are a new creation in HIM.
~2 Corinthians 5:17  We can have courage to be who God has called us to be in this life.


Blessings & Peace
~Robert