You are Braver than You Think

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

You are braver than you think

Your kids are watching you. They are taking their cues in life from you whether you want them to or not. That can be terrifying for me sometimes since I mess up time and time again. But, thankfully God’s grace is sufficient. The other day at the park I was surprised at how our oldest daughter responded.

As a family, we headed to a nearby school and played on their playground. The six of us started together but ended up splitting into girls and boys groups unknowingly. Analiah, my 5-year-old, decided we should be the “Girls Club.” From that point on, she led us around the park to all the different pieces of equipment. We ended up at the one I call the Spiderweb. It’s a tall net that you climb up.

The girls climbed up the Spiderweb with no effort and giggled the whole way. From the top, they could see the boys across the playground at the soccer field. They felt powerful up that high. I, on the other hand, only climbed about halfway to three quarters. I admit it. I am afraid of heights. Just thinking about going any further up caused me to break out in a sweat and my heart to race.

I learned it from you

I commented “Girls, you are so brave. Where did you learn to be so brave?” Micaela, our oldest daughter, responded: “I learned it from you Mom.” Surprised and a little baffled, I responded “How? I didn’t climb to the top like you did.” Micaela responded matter of factly “You are brave because you went to Asia.” That was a holy moment for me. Here I was comparing myself because I didn’t go as high. I didn’t feel brave. But, God used my daughter to remind me that I am braver than I think.

I am brave

It did take courage to fly across the world and spend time loving on our orphans in Cambodia and Thailand. It took a lot of courage! I had to take a step of faith and trust that God would take care of me by providing for the trip and also care for me while I was overseas. I had to be brave. Like Joshua states in our key verse for today, I needed to remember that God is with me wherever I go. He is filling me with strength and courage for each step of the way. Not only when I am in Asia, but every day of my life.

You are braver than you think

How about you? In what ways are you braver than you think? Have you spent time comparing yourself to others because you feel like you should be doing things a certain way? I want to be a voice of truth for today. You are braver than you think. You are strong and courageous with God on your side. He will never leave you or forsake you. Stand in the truth that you can face whatever fears come your way because God is with you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being with me. I love the promise that You will never leave me or forsake me. Please show me the areas of my life where I am braver than I think. Help me to compare myself to myself instead of comparing myself to others. I am brave because You are with me. Help me to walk in that truth today. I love, You Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.