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I Don’t Feel Brave
I have a deep personal interest in holding fast to God’s sovereignty. Quadriplegia, two battles with cancer, and chronic pain have all forced me to bolster my confidence with the same assurance we give the people we serve through Joni and Friends: The world belongs to Almighty God. As Christians, our confidence rests in his plan and purposes.
This is why I draw courage from the story told in Judges 6. Gideon was in hiding, trying to protect himself from the dangers outside. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!” (verse 12). It’s no wonder Gideon is convinced that God’s got the wrong person—he certainly didn’t feel brave. But the Lord says to Gideon: “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites” (verse 16).
Trusting that God is with you makes all the difference.
As 2 Timothy 1:7 puts it, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” When times are at their worst, Christ calls his followers to be at their best. He calls you to be a person of valor. So let God use you in your weakness, just like he did with Gideon. Let other people see that Christians are a people of hope—because God is with us!