Courage

Courage: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty (Merriam-Webster)

One does not use courage when everything is perfect and running smoothly. There is not a need to be courageous when there isn’t danger or trouble. I was finishing up Deuteronomy yesterday evening and then reread bits of it before I went to bed last night and then again this morning. I kept coming back to the Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:8 “And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”Then as I started reading Joshua and came across more scriptures of the Lord telling Joshua to be of good courage. Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever though goest.” God was not telling Joshua, everything was going to be easy and that their enemies would willingly turn over their lands but that he could take courage and have faith in the fact that God would go with them and deliver them from the hand of that enemy. Regardless of the trouble that may come their way, God would not forsake them. I believe that God is telling us that yet today. Though the tempest comes, though trouble may surround us, perhaps it appears that the enemy is stronger than we – Be Strong and of a Good Courage for God is with you and will not forsake you, fear not nor be dismayed.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say on the Lord.

Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.