Taking Courage

Every time I perceive hurt, rejection, slight, or lack,

I have the opportunity to practice turning--

 turning away from those feelings

 and turning them into something

that isn’t natural.

Anger, frustration and hurt are natural responses.

Self is responding to the injustices

it perceives taking place.

Sometimes those are very real.

But the question isn’t whether

those feelings are valid or not.

The question is whether those feelings

are going to keep us in natural response

or whether they are going to lead us

to become kinder, more gentle,

more compassionate people.

It takes courage to choose compassion.

Because we have to trust that our God

cares about what has happened to us

and will make right—in His way—

what might have been wrong.

A supernatural response requires

turning from self and toward another.

We step away from our self-focus and

the judgment process attached.

Instead, our desire is to live

authentic lives, as Christ lived His—

to love our neighbor as ourselves.

 

I am finding that when I am hurting,

He asks me to go comfort another.

When I feel rejection,

He asks me to reach out to another.

When I think I have been treated wrongly,

He asks me to practice loving another.

It's not only the last thing I might want to do,

it's often the last thing I feel like I CAN do.

Jesus said, “Take courage. I am here.”

Matthew 14:27

When we "take courage," 

we can turn away from our natural responses

and exchange them for responses that 

represent His heart for others.

We tend to associate courage with bravery.

It is actually a heart response to His presence.

There is a divine connection between courage 

and compassion, kindness, and gentle patience.

It is a key that releases us from 

the natural realm of self-focus.