I could do quiet and inconspicuous. I could do a life of less. I could do the daily. I could even do hard.
But God’s request that I do brave left me floundering.
A young wife, I was content to live quietly in my own little community. A simple life centered on family didn’t seem too much to ask. But perhaps to God, it was too little.
Over the next nine years events unfolded that brought me to the end of my strength and forced me to make a choice. My life plan failed and in the spiral of multiple miscarriages and having a child with significant special needs, I faced a crossroad.
Would I do the brave thing of living in the midst of my sorrow or continue to merely exist?
Would I isolate myself in my suffering or share it? Would I live in fear of what each day’s circumstances would bring or face the unknown bravely?
Existing in Pain and Fear
Everything in me screamed, BUILD THE WALL! But God gently and repeatedly whispered, open the door.
Everything in me screamed, BUILD THE WALL! But God gently and repeatedly whispered, open the door. Click To Tweet
It took me a long time before I responded to His invitation. I didn’t want to release the pain. It felt somehow safer to hold tight to the sorrow. As if by letting it go, I’d be minimizing my loss.
I took a strange sense of comfort in living angry and hurt and feared moving forward through my suffering.
Yet we were never intended to walk in fear.
God calls us to live brave. He was calling me to live brave; Not brave in my own strength (I had none), but brave in His goodness.
Because bravery is gained by seeing and believing the goodness of God.
Bravery is gained by seeing and believing the goodness of God. Click To Tweet
Live Brave
On my own I am a coward, but in the shadow of God’s promises lies great courage. Courage to live in spite of and in the midst of suffering.
In the Lord’s presence we can lay down our fear and step out in faith. He beckons us to do just that.
In the Lord's presence we can lay down fear and step out in faith. In the shadow of God's promises lies great courage. Click To Tweet
Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid…. Come” Matthew 14:27, 29
I could have held onto my pain. I could have nursed a growing bitterness in my heart. I could have embodied a spirit of isolation and separation, from others and God.
But through God’s persistent loving presence in my life, I eventually realized the only way to live is to release the pain and let the Lord’s goodness salve the wounds.
The only way to truly live is to do brave. To risk more hurt and more fear. Because in the risking, we find ourselves leaning nearer the Author of Life.
And in His goodness we find the courage to live a life that matters, not one that just is.
“Therefore, take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me.” Acts 27:25
Reflections: In what way is the Lord calling you to be brave? How have you risked in the past?
Excited to be a part of Suzie Eller’s #RiskTaker blog hop! Click the image below to read all the inspiring taking-risks post in the linkup.
By His Grace,
Julie
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Hello, I'm Julie, an imperfect wife and mother of four. Life in this broken world is not always easy. Yet, joy can be found in each day through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I find it's easy for our day's blessings to get lost in its happenings. But God's "mercies never end" (Lamentations 3:22) and His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
May the posts and pages on this site offer you a measure of peace and encouragement.
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This past July, I found out I had Celiac disease, an allergy to gluten that is present in wheat, barley and rye. I had to cut out the snack cakes, and cookies and crackers from my usual diet. This also meant that we could no longer eat out on a regular basis. I don’t feel I can eat at most church dinners. There have been some good things come out of this. We are eating healthier; we re-discovered crockpot cooking. My friends understand that I can’t eat a lot of things I used to. I have three new cookbooks on crockpot cooking. One of them has a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Pudding. I want to make that for Thanksgiving. God has allowed me to remain positive about this. And for me that is brave.
Food is such a comfort food, Cecelia, making Celiac disease and others like it are hard to face. I appreciate the positives you’ve identified in this journey to be healthy.
You are talking about a subject I need to read. I have lived with fear of one sort or another for most of my life. Thank you for the reminder to be brave and live life to the fullest. Great inspiration!
I’m sorry for your struggles, Carmen. I think in some fashion we all fear something. But in Christ we are over-comers and brave-doers!
[…] never have planned the loss of my babies, but God’s grace sprinkled in those seasons of heartache have grown empathy and trust. Walking […]