But you, man of God, flee from all this,
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. I
Timothy 6:11
We were singing
an old hymn in church and one phrase in the chorus caught my attention, Good
Courage. I’ve heard that all my life, but it struck me today as I
watched the words flash across the screen, and I began to think about what it
meant.
Is there such a thing as bad courage?
I mean the very
word, courage, brings to mind admirable qualities of standing firm no matter
the odds. But is that always what God wants us to do? So I did a little digging
into my Bible and came up with this answer…it depends.
There are
definitely times when we are to walk away. Even Jesus walked away,
metaphorically speaking, when Satan tempted him to throw Himself off the temple
heights and watch the angels come to his rescue.
So how does all
this apply to my writing life? It applies to my focus. I’ve been fortunate to
have many opportunities come my way. Lots of them worthwhile projects working
with great people.
But the truth is,
I can’t do everything. If I try, I won’t accomplish anything. (Oh the pain of
that particular lesson learned!)
So I’ve had to
learn to have the courage to walk away. I’ve had to trust that God will provide
the things He’s told me He would. And even if they’ve not yet appeared, it’s
not a reason to stray from the path He’s shown me.
What do you need
to walk away from?
Thanks, Edie. This reminds me of my need to walk with Him in order to discern what to walk away from. Otherwise, the line between good and the best becomes blurred and I'm easily confused. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis is something I have to give some thought to. I can think of a few things and people but I agree with Elizabeth. I have to walk more with him in rder to discern what to walk away from. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have to walk away from the "easy" things I want to do and trust him with the hard things that prevent me from reaching my goals.
ReplyDelete