Courage Cont....

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ― Nelson Mandela
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (earthly; weak; dependent on my state of emotions or desires), but MIGHTY in God for the tearing down of strongholds (places where my mind has become "entrenched"; places in my thoughts where darkness, and terror, and oppression hide) and arguments (those lies that seem so real and fight for me to stay in the places that feel familiar versus what brings truth and life) and every high and lofty thing (stubbornness; foolish pride) that exalts itself against the knowledge (intimacy; trust; faith in) Christ."
I read the most amazing quote, yesterday.  August Wilson once said, "

Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.” In all of these verses and quotes, the message is the same.  There is a wrestling that must come if truth is to win out over the lies that we often tell ourselves.  From birth until about 6, everything we will believe about the world becomes solid in our minds, and begins to feel real to our hearts, and everything we encounter later in life is filtered through this knowledge.  For example, just as we learn what is "acceptable" in social settings ("Don't slouch;" "Pick up your things"; "Don't embarrass us"), we learn what is "acceptable" to think and feel ("Boys don't cry"; "Don't be ridiculous"; "How can you even think that?").  Slowly, we set aside things like freedom and faith, and learn, rather, to be cautious and successful; we learn how to sound "wise."  There is something to be said for not speaking out of anger--for setting aside behavior and speech that can hurt those around us (belittling; back-biting; slander; hatred; rage).  As we grow in truth and love, though, those things naturally fall away from us: we cannot walk in truth and freedom--letting God's love fill our hearts, and not feel a natural tendency towards walking in love and freedom with those around us.
So, I'm not speaking, here, of giving ourselves permission to become selfish, or shallow, or boastful, or rude, but, rather, to face the fears that cause those same attitudes in our hearts.  How many people around the world hear over and over again in their minds, "You are nothing.  You're doing things all wrong.  You'll never fit in.  You're so different from everyone.  There's something wrong with you"?  We are harder on ourselves than others will ever be, and we don't realize that the voice we allow to whisper all day long, while it feels as familiar as our own, comes from something else: something hiding in a stronghold in our minds; something that has become a part of us, but like a parasite, must be triumphed over and sent along its way.  Those arguments--those fears--those "high places" where we feel so sure of what we see and "know" are what keep us from stepping out and becoming who we were always meant to be.  Doctors; teachers; lawyers; janitors; graduates; drop-outs; out-going; shy: how differently would we tackle those dreams inside of us if we were no longer so aware of others watching?  If there were no longer a fear of failure and being "judged"...if we were able to accept criticism, and let it hone our skills and make us stronger, but never let it cause us to doubt what we were born to do, how differently would we live our lives?

So, how do we get to that place?  We wrestle!  "Do not go quietly into that good night, but rage, rage against the dying of the light."  With all that is inside of us, we learn who God is, and what He thinks about us, and we slowly begin to whisper those things to ourselves throughout the day.  In resisting the enemy (who is not flesh nor blood), we grow strong, and there comes a time where we are not simply "resisting", but "maintaining"; then, not simply "maintaining," but "taking ground"; then not simply "taking ground", but soaring out over the circumstances secure in the hope of our calling: believing that God is with us and even in failure, will cause us to overcome.  We must sow so that we can reap...sow thoughts of peace, and trust, and life, and joy, and there will come a time where--just as when we were small and growing in our beliefs about the world through what others told us, we begin to believe in our hearts those new "truths" we are speaking.  "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."  "I am loved and highly favored."  "The King of the Universe knows my name, and walks with me."  "Even if my own father and mother reject me, with all this, the Lord will stand by me."  "He is changing me daily into His image; I give HIM permission to change me and I work with what He asks me to do...I don't have to 'help' by telling Him what to change."  Perfect love casts out fear.  His love is perfect; it will always be enough.  

This is a call to "war"; a call to "wrestle"; a call to push against the lies, and consciously speak truth: He loves us.  All fear must go.  All doubt must go.  He will never leave us.  He will never forsake us.  And that's all we need to know.