Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.” In other words, courage requires perseverance in the face of hopeless circumstances. Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom faced certain death in a Nazi concentration camp; she watched her family members die one by one. Corrie’s trust in Christ and faithful endurance sustained her in the darkness. True courage comes from putting full confidence in God’s promises–victory in Jesus Christ.
God is a promise maker. He accomplishes this by establishing covenants, or binding agreements between himself and humanity. One example is Yahweh’s covenant with the nation of Israel. In spite of repeated disobedience, the Lord remains faithful. His people are exiled to Babylon. He promises them a Messiah, whom they reject. Yet, even still, God is steadfast, dependable, and sure. He is faithful to his covenant, eager for all–people from every tribe, tongue, and nation–to know him (2 Peter 3:10).
God is faithful. Period. This is true, even when the answer to our prayers is “no” or “wait”. My grandfather suffered from repeated cancer battles in his last decade. At the same time, my grandmother also faced her own cancer diagnosis. As a couple, they chose to bank on the faithfulness of God–no matter the outcome. Grandpa went so far as to thank God for his cancer. He did this because he trusted the ultimate goodness of the Lord. Often with tears, he accepted God’s will. He met his faithful Savior face to face in 2022.
Putting full confidence in God’s promises can be a rocky path, but it is worth the climb. Jonathan and his shield bearer in 1 Samuel 14 experienced this first hand. Cornered in a narrow canyon, facing uncanny odds against the Philistines, they know that a barbaric death certainly awaits them. And yet, Jonathan and his servant choose action over fear. Who knows? Maybe God will deliver them. Even if he does not, God is good. He is trustworthy. Stepping out in faith is better than cowering in stagnation. How is God calling you to act this year? Take courage. He is with you.
Jake Solis