Courageous
Jul 15, 2025 by Addison Crissone
I don't know about you, but I haven't been feeling very courageous lately.
By courageous, I mean confident, certain, brave, and valiant.
Many of us feel all of these things daily, leaving us feeling less than courageous every day.
It does not help that I have been reading about the hall of faith in the book of Hebrews during my daily devotions, reading about men and women of courageous faith who faced torture, beatings, and sufferings of all kinds simply because they believed in the word and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me show a bit of chapter 11, a passage that spoke volumes.
By courageous, I mean confident, certain, brave, and valiant.
Many of us feel all of these things daily, leaving us feeling less than courageous every day.
It does not help that I have been reading about the hall of faith in the book of Hebrews during my daily devotions, reading about men and women of courageous faith who faced torture, beatings, and sufferings of all kinds simply because they believed in the word and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me show a bit of chapter 11, a passage that spoke volumes.
"And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak,
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became
mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received
back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release,
so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered
mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were
sawn in two, about in skins of sheep and goats, desititute, afflicted, mistreated- of whom
the world was not worthy- wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in
dens and caves of the earth."
-Hebrews 11:32-38
Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became
mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received
back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release,
so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered
mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were
sawn in two, about in skins of sheep and goats, desititute, afflicted, mistreated- of whom
the world was not worthy- wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in
dens and caves of the earth."
-Hebrews 11:32-38
This passage burns with the unquenchable fire of those who found the truth of the gospel and refuse to let it go, no matter the cost.
This is courage. This is confidence. This is valor.
But would it help if I reminded us all that these men and women —Gideon, David, Solomon, Samson, Samuel, Rahab—all had faults of their own?
Abraham lied to Pharaoh and Abimelech.
Jacob was fearful.
Moses stuttered.
Barak was hesitant to do the Lord's will.
Gideon tested God.
Samson had a lust problem.
Samuel fell short as a father.
David committed adultery and then murder.
Solomon had a woman problem.
Jephthah was rash toward God.
The Israelites complained.
Rahab was a prostitute.
The list goes on and on- time would undoubtedly fail us to speak of them all.
Yes, they were faithful and courageous. But they were also flawed individuals, just like us. I know that out of everyone I have listed (only a fraction of people in the Bible), there is someone you relate to. Perhaps you have a stutter, like Moses. Or maybe you are sometimes a bit too rash and hasty with God. Or perhaps it is something a bit more complex.
Either way, we can take courage, because we are not perfect.
We all have moments of weakness and doubt, but this does not mean that we must remain there forever. No, God calls us to courage.
Yes, we may fail. But God will not.
As Charles Spurgeon once quoted,
"God uses people who fail, because there aren't any other kind around."
This is courage. This is confidence. This is valor.
But would it help if I reminded us all that these men and women —Gideon, David, Solomon, Samson, Samuel, Rahab—all had faults of their own?
Abraham lied to Pharaoh and Abimelech.
Jacob was fearful.
Moses stuttered.
Barak was hesitant to do the Lord's will.
Gideon tested God.
Samson had a lust problem.
Samuel fell short as a father.
David committed adultery and then murder.
Solomon had a woman problem.
Jephthah was rash toward God.
The Israelites complained.
Rahab was a prostitute.
The list goes on and on- time would undoubtedly fail us to speak of them all.
Yes, they were faithful and courageous. But they were also flawed individuals, just like us. I know that out of everyone I have listed (only a fraction of people in the Bible), there is someone you relate to. Perhaps you have a stutter, like Moses. Or maybe you are sometimes a bit too rash and hasty with God. Or perhaps it is something a bit more complex.
Either way, we can take courage, because we are not perfect.
We all have moments of weakness and doubt, but this does not mean that we must remain there forever. No, God calls us to courage.
Yes, we may fail. But God will not.
As Charles Spurgeon once quoted,
"God uses people who fail, because there aren't any other kind around."
