THE BLESSING OF COURAGE IN THE MIDST OF FEAR

By: Pastor Flávio Macieira - 2025

A reflection from the "Blessings for the Way" series.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

Fear does not have to get the last word.

Have you ever felt like the ground was shifting beneath your feet? A major change, a loss, a terribly uncertain future. It was in that exact place of vulnerability that God met Joshua. The leader he had followed was gone, and an entire nation was looking to him, expecting him to lead them across a river and against giants. Fear was the only logical response.

Maybe you know that feeling all too well.

And what God says to him—and to you—is not a gentle suggestion: "Be strong and courageous!" It's a command filled with a promise. You see, the courage God calls us to isn't something we manufacture on our own, some kind of forced positive thinking. It isn't born from self-confidence, but from God-confidence. It's an invitation to view the size of your challenge through the lens of the size of your God.

Think about it: what’s the one fear that sits behind all our other fears? Almost always, it's the fear of being alone. Alone in our failure, our pain, our tough decisions. And that is precisely the lie God’s promise demolishes: "The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Let that sink into your heart. God's presence isn't a good luck charm; it is the real, inexhaustible source of our strength.

Therefore, courage that springs from faith isn't the absence of butterflies in your stomach. It's the decision to walk forward despite the butterflies, because you know Who is walking beside you. It's looking at your personal "Jordan River," at your "giant," and choosing to believe that the Presence accompanying you is infinitely more real and powerful than the threat in front of you.

To help this truth find a practical place in your life, how about taking a step of faith this week? Identify one specific fear that has been holding you back. Write it down, and next to it, write out the promise of Joshua 1:9. Make that declaration your first response every time that fear tries to take over this week.

Now, allow yourself a moment for honest reflection in the soul's mirror:

1. In what area of your life have you allowed fear to halt your progress?

2. How does the certainty of God's presence change your perspective on that specific fear?

3. What is one practical way you can "be strong and courageous" this week, even while feeling afraid?

How about we take these answers straight to God? Let's pray.

Lord my God, I confess that fear often paralyzes me and makes me doubt Your power and presence. Forgive me for focusing on the giants and forgetting that You are greater. Just as You were with Joshua, I ask that the assurance of Your company would fill me with strength and courage today. Help me take the next step of faith, even with a fearful heart, trusting that You are with me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the presence of God.

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