Courage

What if it didn’t matter as much? What if you were more concerned with who you are than what you are doing? What if your identity wasn’t tied to what you were doing? How much more liberty would you feel? What would you feel free to do? What kinds of things would you accomplish?

I think we let others expectations of us rule over our beliefs. I think we don’t actually practice what we believe. I think we practice what others, who influence us, believe. People we are afraid of. People we are afraid to cross. Maybe not a physical fear, but spiritual, emotional, and psychological fear.

There are some who are so dogmatic about what they believe that if we don’t believe like them, they think we are bad, maybe even “going to hell.” What if you practiced your beliefs? Would you feel free, or would you feel condemnation?

Our motives matter. They matter tremendously. Jesus never said He loves a giver, but a CHEERFUL giver. Motive matters. So if you are just doing because it is someone else’s beliefs, it doesn’t really count for much. Acting on your beliefs, that matters. Believing and acting according to those beliefs matters.

It matters, because without there being a unity between belief and action, we are divided in ourself. When we are divided within ourself, we begin to oppose ourself, or get in our own way. The Bible (James 1:8) calls it being double-minded, believing two different, or opposing things. There needs to be unity inside of us, as much as there does outside of us. In fact, we may not be able to achieve unity outside of us if we can’t achieve it in us. James 1:8 says that the double-minded person is, in the KJV version, unstable in all their ways.

Unless we have unity of belief and action, we will be unstable, restless, and inconstant. In the previous verses James describes asking in faith nothing wavering. The word wavering is synonymous with the word variance. In other words double-minded, opposing ones self, to doubt. When there isn’t unity in belief and action, you are doubting. You don’t even believe what you are professing you believe. You are just hurting yourself.

This is the way I have felt for a while now, like I am opposing myself. Wanting something desperately, but afraid to go after it because of what others might think. Believing something, but fearing to go after it. What if we just had the courage to live what we believe.

Maybe that courage doesn’t come all at once? What if courage is a muscle that you have to exercise? I belive it is something that doesn’t come all at once. It is something to work on and towards. I am going to keep working towards it.

By the way, I know I am being vague. It is intentional. The reason is, this is different for everyone. The whole point is, you have to make the decision. It is your choice. I can’t make it for you. I can’t tell you what, or how to believe. I am just trying to encourage you, and open your eyes to what may be going on inside you.