The Reason for Courage

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

According to the American Psychological Association, “Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” I am deeply familiar with anxiety. Recurring, intrusive thoughts permeate my mind. Over the years, I have figured out a few coping mechanisms for my disordered thoughts--one of which I call the ‘it could be worse’ technique. I take my natural tendency to leap to worst case scenarios, and I work backwards from this point. For example, if I am anxious about my back pain, I tell myself: it could be worse...I am not paralyzed...at least I can still move and function. Although it provides some temporary relief, this method is not a long-term solution. 

Anxiety is the emotion we feel when facing a problem that is beyond our strength to conquer. It is similar to encountering a large boulder in our path. We try to find a way around it, or find little crevices in the rock so we can get a grip and climb over it, or maybe find a tool to chip away at it until the encumbrance becomes manageable. Our natural coping mechanisms usually involve minimizing the issue in some way so as to feel some control over the situation. We tell ourselves: Fear not, for the problem is not so bad. 

The reason for courage cannot be based on our mastery of the problem, BUT in knowing God as Master. This understanding does not come passively. A shift in perspective requires active trust, deep contemplation, and radical acceptance. Instead of diminishing the seriousness of the problem at hand, we need to change our frame of reference. We have to trust God when He says: Fear not...for I am with you. 

God is with me. He is the Master in charge. He strengthens me. He is my helper. He upholds me with His goodness and might. 

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