Courage To Change (1)

Here is what I am commanding you to do. Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. I am the Lord your God. I will be with you everywhere you go.”  (Joshua 1:9 NIRV)

For those of us who have lived with addictive and compulsive behaviours, it is easy to begin to see ourselves as chronically weak, small, even hopeless. We may begin to believe that we are destined to bondage, poverty, and failure. When we persist in this view of our life, we give up the possibility of change. We settle for just trying to survive. We live in fear and shame, filling up with resentments as our life remains in the pit. No matter how terrible our past has been, we can make changes for the better. If we are willing to put our life in God’s hands, there is always hope for positive change and a bright future.

In the Bible we read about a man named Gideon. He was discouraged and had little self-respect. His family was extremely poor, and he was the least in his family. An angel appeared and called to him, He said, “Mighty warrior, the Lord is with you.”  (Judges 6:12 NIRV). Gideon didn’t feel or look like a mighty hero. God was calling him to deliver his people from their enemies and Gideon felt inadequate in the face of a great task. God, however, could see his potential and simply said, “I will be with you” (Judges 6:16 NIRV). By the end of the story, Gideon had become the deliverer of his people (You can read the whole story in the Bible in Judges 6-8). Gideon’s first step toward success was to see himself as God saw him – a mighty warrior.

Many of us feel weak and think we are a failure. We question God’s interest in our life and our situation. Just as Gideon already had everything within him that God used for His purposes, we too already have within us what God will use to overcome our obstacles. We, too, must begin by finding the courage to see ourselves in a new light and to summon up hope for a better life. Then as God gives us strength, we can set about finding freedom from our bondage.

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:13 NIRV)

©2015 Partners in Hope