Lacking Courage?
Gulp. Me neither.
Surprisingly, the command given most frequently in the Bible is not about love but is to “fear not”. The instruction is given 365 times! Old Testament leaders, including Joshua and Solomon, are told to “be bold and courageous”. Likewise, Christians in the New Testament are told to “en-courage one another” many times. That is, to make strong, or to hearten.
Neuroscientists have discovered that our brain is wired to respond to the treats (that is, fear) more strongly than to rewards. So, it is no wonder that we need encouragement!
Sometimes we think that having courage is to not feel fear. In fact, being courageous is the opposite. Courage is taking the right action, at the right time, in the face of feeling afraid. Or as it is defined in the Christian Leadership Framework: Rising up to whatever challenge God has presented to you, saying and doing what needs to be said and done.
There will be many times as leaders we feel fear. We may feel afraid of failure, afraid of conflict, afraid of sticking our neck out, afraid of upsetting others, afraid of being exposed, or afraid of letting others down. We may feel afraid of persecution for the sake of the gospel.
We may respond to feelings of fear by avoiding what is hard. Yet, playing it safe may actually be an act of disobedience. Alternatively, we may respond to feelings of fear with false bravado. In all of our fears, it is important to take them to God. He knows we need encouragement to follow him faithfully.
So, what does a lack of courage look like?
Avoiding difficult issues, work, ideas or people
Avoiding saying difficult things or “watering down” the message
Doubting you are able to face the task God has assigned to you
Not turning to God for strength
Allowing fear to prevent you from taking action.
There is no silver bullet to being more courageous. However, some of the strategies listed below may be useful if you want to grow in courage.
Ask trusted mentors, friends and colleagues to pray with you and support you
Amplify and encourage others when they act with courage
Take inspiration from the bible - read Deuteronomy 31, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Isaiah 41: 1-20, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Timothy 1 or 1 John 4:18
Taking a stand requires confidence in what you are saying and humility that you may be wrong, so take a moment to reflect on what you stand for and that you have your ego in check
If you prefer to avoid conflict or tough conversations, consider the benefits of speaking up
If you are not being heard, consider if it is appropriate to escalate the issue to a more senior level. Be prepared to get specific about the issues
If you are worried about emotions escalating, try to be the calmest person in the room. If you are calm when you talk about difficult things, others will feel less anxious.
Start small if you are shying away from big projects
Calculate the impact if you are unsure of the consequences
Choose your time and place if you are need to challenge, so that you are being respectful and reducing the noise of other distractions
Bring a solution if you can, not just negative or challenging comments.
Now, over to you …
In what area do you need to step out in courage? What do you fear in this situation? What truth of the gospel speaks into your fears?
Who has God placed in your life to help you step out in courage?
What do you fear most? Where did you learn to be afraid of that?
Where do you feel fearless? What truth of the gospel has shaped you in this area? How can this truth be applied to other areas of your life?
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ~ Psalm 27:1
by Yvette McDonald
