Success is an Inside Job

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells us in chapter 1, verse 7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” From these words, we know our fear is not from God, but what can we do to overcome it, find our courage, and achieve our dreams?

In our everyday lives, each of us knows someone who has pursued their dreams and succeeded, because they managed their internal fears and found their courage. It is not surprising that the word “courage” has its roots in French and Latin words which mean “heart.” The 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “that quality of mind which enables one to encounter dangers and difficulty with firmness, or without fear, or fainting of heart; valor, boldness, resolution.”

We all know that while we can be encouraged by others, we have to find our courage within ourselves. Identity and courage go hand in hand. They come from within and no matter how hard we try – they can’t be faked. When courage is rooted deep within us, we can live in confidence and boldness every day. To do so we have to live our lives based on our true identity.

In Luke 12:32, Jesus tells us, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” As believers, our identity is in Christ, and we can draw our courage and strength directly from Him. This week, may we overcome our fears, drawing our courage and strength from God!