Strong and Courageous?!

A few months ago, I picked up the little book at the christian bookstore called "the little book of HOPE". This tiny book is packed full of amazing truth from scripture--it's great! The chapter I have been reading for the last couple of days is entitled "Beyond Fear". Perhaps by design or sheer circumstance many of the verses noted and the quotes included use the phrase "strong and courageous." I'll be honest, as I noticed this trend I was a bit annoyed by it....Sure, Lord, it's easy to be strong and courageous when things are going our way but how can you tell me to be strong and courageous when things are tough and unfair and crushing?! How can you tell me to react like this when you have not gone through the situation I faced a few years ago, you didn't have that conversation with that family member last month, you don't understand what it's like to face the phone call I got a few weeks ago, you don't know what it's like to walk in my shoes and face this, that and the other....I kept on like this for a few minutes until I realized I was 100% wrong. Life can often feel like I'm walking uphill, like my walk is on display, the terrain is often irregular, or I just can't get my footing. But, He gets this because He walked this earth and faced hardship, struggle and even death. He gets it! (He might have created me with a good deal of spunk but sometimes it takes my spunk a little longer to connect all the dots.)

The passages and quotes weren't simply stating "Be strong and courageous, period." They give a way to be like this....

Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." The Lord is with me, thus I can be strong and courageous...

Psalm 27:14
"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." This is preceded by verses 4-5 which state: "The one thing I ask of the Lord--the thing I seek most--is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating on his Temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me." I'll return to the rock idea later but based on this, I can be strong because the Lord is going to place me on a rock away from enemies--even if I have to wait--he's coming!

Psalm 31:24
"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." What do I hope in? If I hope in the Lord then I can be strong!

Then, I was reading the One Year Bible and the Old Testament passage on 7/19 included 1 Chronicles 28:20.
"Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." (This was especially moving because I struggle a lot with not loving my job but knowing this is where the Lord is telling me to stay--"do the work.") I can be strong because God is with me and will not forsake me.

BUT--back to my tirade from earlier--what's a girl to do when she doesn't feel strong or courageous? Charles Spurgeon says it better that I can articulate: "God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace his hand, I can always trust his heart." So what is a girl to do? Trust His heart! Because I have trusted Christ as my savior, I can stand on His word--all of it. As my friend eloquently described it "scripture is not a buffet--it's either all true or none of it is." I am firmly planted in the camp that every word of scripture is true.

Thus, I can trust every word including Psalm 23:6
"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

So I'm dwelling in the house of the Lord and trusting that goodness and love are following me, right? I'm waiting on the Lord and doing the work. But I still have times when I feel weak and fearful--what am I missing?! Psalm 40 paints such an awesome picture of the piece I often miss...I have clung to this psalm for years through various events and trials. Each time I return to it, it provides more than the last time....

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the pit of despair, 

out of the mud and the mire. 

He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed. 

They will put their trust in the Lord.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, 

who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols.

O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. 

Your plans for us are too numerous to list.

You have no equal.

If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.

Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand--

you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. 

Then I said, "Look, I have come. As it is written about me in scripture:

I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart."

I have told all your people about your justice. 

I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know.

I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart; 

I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.

I have told everyone in the great assembly of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

Lord, don't hold back your tender mercies from me.

Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.

For troubles surround me--too many to count!

My sins pile up so high I can't see my way out. 

They outnumber the hairs on my head. 

I have lost all courage.

Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord and help me.

May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. 

May those who delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.

Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, "Aha! We've got him now!"

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.

May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The Lord is great!"

As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.

You are my helper and my savior.

O my God, do not delay.

Oh my goodness, there is so much in these 17 verses....He lifts me out of the mud and mire. He gives me a firm place to stand (remember Psalm 27 above, same idea, different words--He will place me out of reach on a high rock). Then, the psalmist states "I have lost all courage" yet he ends with "you are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay." The psalmist didn't just become courageous a few verses after saying he had lost it. He was pleading with the Lord to provide this for him; asking him not to delay and surrendering to his Lord being his helper. There it is--more dots being connected...

The phrase "strong and courageous" doesn't mean being Super Man (ok, Wonder Woman) everyday or maintaining a Polly Anna facade regardless of the circumstances of life. Strength and courage are provided by the Lord not by me (phew!). I access them by asking my God to not delay, shedding my superhero mask and Polly Anna smile, and praying realistically about where I am in the moment. Out of the mud and the mire will come the ROCK His word assures me will come! I can go uphill, sideways and upside down. I can be on display and have the terrain change in an instant. Even when my enemies surround me, I will be given strength and courage through my helper, my Savior....my ROCK!