How to have courage!

Note: This month I’m posting a series of devotional thoughts from Acts. Many of these are reposts, some are new. I’m “working out the kinks” for submission to a compilation of short, pastoral writings in Acts to be published later this year. If you have suggestions, corrections, or comments, please let me know!

“Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” Acts 27:23-26

You have to admit it must have taken guts to boldly declare to a ship full of 267 unbelievers that God told you everyone aboard the doomed vessel would make it to shore alive. How did Paul get that kind of courage?

First, he knew who he belonged to: “The God whose I am” is a great self-identifying phrase. We need to remember it and speak it regularly. If we are certain that we belong to God, then we can trust that He will take care of us. That will generate courage.

Second, he knew who he was serving: “The God whom I serve”. If we want to walk in courage, it’s not enough to understand that we belong to God; we must also be fully committed to serving Him. If we are unwaveringly serving God, then we can walk in greater confidence that we are not ourselves getting in the way of what God wants for us. That will generate courage.

Third, he listened to what God told him: “Last night an angel of…God… stood beside me and said…” We need to be intently listening to God’s voice because He will speak specific things to us as we face difficulties. I believe God is constantly speaking to us; we just aren’t always listening so well. Whether it’s through the written Word, through the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit, or even through the appearance of an angel, we need to discipline ourselves to pay attention to His voice when He is speaking to us. That will generate courage.

Finally, he trusted God: “I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Paul did not take action based on the experts who were contradicting what God had clearly told him; in fact, he was a little surprised that the captain didn’t trust his advice instead. When we operate in rock solid trust in God, and then God does what He said He would do, people will want to know God and we will be deepened in our own faith, too. That will generate courage.

Four questions: Who do you belong to? Who do you serve? Who are you listening to? Who do you trust? The answers to those questions will be determining factors in whether you face daunting moments with boldness and courage, or with timidity and fear.