Heart Courage

Anita Delene Manthe
Oct 6, 2017
3 min read

It takes courage to move on, to move forward with a life focus of unyielding obedience to the Lord after a long and arduous trial. We must accept God’s sovereignty, we must accept we may never fully understand why. And, most importantly we must understand, grasp, and hold to the truth that Scripture provides all the answers we need to explain the events and sagas of living in a fallen world. As we spend time immersed in the Word, our courage will grow. It will grow enough to embrace and see the goodness of God in the very circumstances that are ours.

After we have prayed, and asked the Lord to remember His promises to us, and we then choose to respond with a heart submitted to His will, we need to cultivate our mindset to continue the course. To remain on a steadfast path with His guidance and direction. An essential part of this is to not look back. We are to press on and run towards godliness. Pressing on is a deliberate plan of action that considers necessities to ensure completion, and to achieve personal victories. We must plan, and discipline ourselves to ensure we do not get sidetracked or stumble along the way. We must make deliberate changes to ensure we attain our personal growth – our sanctification – to complete the course, to win the prize … a closer walk with the Lord.

What strategies and plans do you need to put into place to move beyond the life events you struggle with?
What are they? Be realistic – write them out.
Match Scripture and the promises of God to your goals.
Write out application principles to the verses you have chosen and a strategy for change.
Write out a prayer from you application principles, and pray it.
Whom will you be accountable to, to ensure you stay the course?

Without a realistic plan of action, and prayerful dependence on the Lord to strengthen you to persevere the threat of defeat is strong. Depend on Him, for His strength, His courage – let the victory be His!

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us (Philippians 3:13-17).
Jesus said to him, No one putting his hand on the plow, and looking at the things behind, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).