Grow Courage and Character

Standing up for God when we’re afraid isn’t just the right thing to do.

It also builds our faith and our character.

Reputation is what we want people to think we are. Character is what we really are. Character is who you are when no one is watching.

Character and faith are like muscles. The only way we build a muscle is by stressing it. That’s what we do in weightlifting. When we lift weights, we’re straining our muscle, we’re stretching our muscle, and we’re stressing our muscle. Our muscle doesn’t grow unless it’s strained, stretched, and stressed.

The same is true with our “courage muscle.” We’re not developing any spiritual, emotional, or relational muscle when we give in to fear instead of standing up to it. When we play it safe, and let fear win, we lose the courage to follow God’s will for our life.

When we stand strong for what God wants instead of buckling to fear, our courage grows. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s moving forward with what God wants anyway.

The Bible says, “Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord . . . With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News” (2 Timothy 1:8).

What are you willing to do in order to be true to your faith? Are you willing to be excluded? Are you willing to lose family and friends? Are you willing to have people gossip about you? Are you willing to give up your life for Jesus?

Historically, Christians have gone before lions and been crucified for their faith in Christ. Even today, people are being martyred for their faith. It’s much more common than you may realize. We are so blessed to live in America, where we do not face death daily to be able live our faith but could you?

My Challenge for us today is to stand up for God. When we overcome our fears, our character grows, and our faith does too.