“courage [kur-ij, kuhr-]
The ability to do something that frightens one.”
You may associate courage with knightly heroism - bravely riding off into the world to do daring deeds. We’ve got great news for those of you discounting yourselves because you don’t have an iron suit. For this mission we just need you, walking through life, where you are.
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The dictionary defines courage as “The ability to do something that frightens one.” This means acts of courage are accessible to everyone. What frightens you might not be the least bit scary to me, but what frightens Mike Betts might be a walk in the park for you. You don’t need to compare yourself to the courageous deeds of others. All you need to do is to listen out for God.
Don’t discount yourself again! We’re all on a journey, so if you’ve never listened for or heard from God before then that’s your starting block. If you don’t know how to do it, this seminar by Mike Bollinger at Newday 2018 has some really practical tips and exercises you can try alone or with friends.
What’s next?
What do you do when you hear that whisper or that inner voice, when you feel that nudge or that thumping heart? Stepping out, speaking up, praying, acting, whatever you do next, that takes courage, that right there is your act of courage. Speaking to a stranger, offering to pray for a friend, giving someone a seemingly random but God-prompted gift.
Still mystified?
We have made two videos showing how Acts of Courage link in with some of the different ‘chapters’ in our Way of Life book. You’ll find them to the right of the page (or scroll down if you’re reading on a phone or other device). Find out what Acts of Courage have looked like in the lives of some of our family, and think about what they might look like for you.
Mike Betts also preached on the topic at Lowestoft Community Church in February 2019. You can listen to the podcast of that and get some more ideas and inspiration.