Four Reasons to Have the Courage to Go Forward

Do you have days when you wonder how to have courage to go forward? I woke up on such a day with one wish – I wanted to go back to sleep, to avoid the painful reality of my new unwanted life as a widow.

Instead of the hopeful, vibrant vision of a life together with my husband, I saw only blackness when I thought about my future. It was just a black hole, an emptiness. I dreaded the future and did not want to live on, to move forward.

But God did not leave me there. Gently and persistently, He spoke to my heart on that day and on the ones that followed, infusing me with the courage to go forward. I want to share with you four ways to grow in courage and confidence for the future.

1. Courage to Go Forward – Remembering God’s Deeds

Yes, we tend to forget. The tragedy that happened seemed to erase my memory about all the amazing work God has been doing in my life, all small and big miracles, and His provision and faithfulness.

When we choose to remember and dwell on all the blessings God has provided for us in the past, we gain hope and confidence for the future, simply because God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We can count on Him today and tomorrow.

Since God is the great I AM, He is also in our present. Remembering His deeds in the past opens the eyes of our hearts to see and acknowledge what He is doing today. It helps us to discern His will and receive His daily provision.

2. Trusting God to Activate Our Hidden Potential

As a loving Father, God sees our hidden potential and longs to activate it. The story of Gideon is a powerful example of how God deals with our fears, worries, and insecurities. Imagine Gideon, dreading his life and future under the severe oppression of the Midianites. And then he sees and hears something unbelievable. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”  (Judges 6:12)

There is much power and love in this one sentence. The Lord is with you. The Lord is with us. He promised never to leave us, nor forsake us. His loving presence and tender care, His power and wisdom every day are at our disposal if we choose to use it. The Lord is with us and this is enough. There is no need for more.

However, God adds something more. He calls Gideon “a mighty warrior”! God sees our hidden potential and all we are destined to become and do with Him and through Him. Our part is to trust that He can carry us through the process of transformation as He did to Gideon.  God leads Gideon to the moment when he gains the courage to go forward. God encourages him, guides him, and transforms him into a strong and courageous leader.

3. Boasting in the Lord

We can draw confidence and courage for the future when we don’t rely on our own vision and wishes, and on our own strength to live a meaningful and satisfying life. The truth is, our knowledge and resources are limited. And as much as we want to peek into the future because of curiosity and control, we’ll never know what lies there. But we know it belongs to the Lord. We can trust His wisdom, good plans and purposes, and we can hold fast to His sovereignty. 

We may feel weak and fearful, but as long as He is with us, strengthening and encouraging us through His Spirit, we can go forward and take brave steps in an unknown future. Because “the eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27)

4. Holding onto Hope with Courage

It is very discouraging when the things we hoped for did not turn as we wished. It is heart-breaking when we see our hope deferred. But it is also true that even when all our hopes for things and people don’t fulfill, we have one Hope that never disappoints. We have Jesus, our personified Hope, and God’s promise to make things right and restore everything we have lost.

Choosing to hold onto that hope everyday infuses us with strength and courage. We know that whatever happens here, it’s not the end. Our stories are still written. And we can trust God’s heart for a happy end. That’s why we can go forward with the confidence and courage to live the lives He has planned for us.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24)

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This article was first posted on OnTheWayBG.com.