“Take courage,” they say… “It won’t be easy,” they say.  So, then why do it?

We hear this “Take Courage” phrase a lot and for many like myself, it’s easier said than done.

What is courage? By definition it is: the ability to do something that frightens one; strength in the face of pain or grief.

Courage is a noun … it’s the DOING of something uncomfortable or painful. Perhaps this is why there are so many verses in the Bible and words of encouragement to remind us to think outside our inherent desire of self-preservation and our default mode to stay comfortable. I’m reminded of Deuteronomy 31:6 (MGS),

“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them

a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you.

He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”

The verse says to “not give ‘them’ a second thought”. For years I took that to mean the people around me, but now the ‘them’ has become the thoughts that echo in my head. Courage is bigger than the booming internal voice that says you can or can not do something. It’s that small seed of bravery in your chest that says you must, and then acting on it because you know, regardless of your thoughts or feelings, this is yours to overcome.

What I also love about the definition is that it says it’s an “ability”. Great news! If we feel we lack it, courage can be learned, even if the road is difficult. You may need courage to conquer a fear, a course at school, or maybe it’s the act of getting out of bed that day. It’s courageous to take captive those thoughts and step out in faith because you know you’re supposed to do a specific job. Whatever is your God-given task to carry out, listen to God. He’s calling you to move forward and trust Him. Not so you can stand in that new uncomfortable place alone, but so you can stand there with Him and achieve something bigger than what you imagined.

So, as you go throughout your day, may you be encouraged to … Take Courage.

Hollie Taylor launched her own entertainment promotions company called Ten16 Entertainment.  Ten16 Entertainment is a company committed to the education and promotion of artists pursuing exposure in the Canadian Christian music industry. She is also teamed up with Johnny Rocket on Edmonton, Alberta’s 105.9 Shine FM’s morning show, The Morning Spin, and podcast, Why Me Project.  Hollie is also the Founder and President of WIMM Canada.