Encouragement that gives COURAGE

What's that word in the middle of encouragement?? Courage.

Sometimes we face things in life, that can be as small as an attitude, and we need courage to face, approach and change those things.

Joshua 1: 5-9 "5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Right now, in this time of my life...with courtship being a current event, speaking and writing in my future, marriage in my future and the struggle to stay with the road of purity currently...I need courage. Courage to not only make changes, but to stick to my heart’s desire. Nothing has changed, only the pressure is getting more consistent. I have always needed courage, but we don't train for the same kind of tests in life, we train for harder ones we know are bound to come. Right now I am training and fighting at the same time. The fruit that is beginning to make an appearance is well worth it. New lessons, new things I'm leaning about myself, new ways to be a better person in this world, and new love I am tapping into. The fruit is coming. It isn't long now. 

I was talking to God this morning about what I have going on and what He wants me to do about it. He gave me a simple task to message someone on Facebook and that turned into looking at Christian Video's on YouTube by Jefferson Bethke which further inspired me to update my YouTube and Google+ account. Then, in an answer to my prayer God sent a friendly encouragement for me to get my name out there to the homeschool and church community. This Homeschool and church community that God has orchestrated in my life is crazy. People who have no connections in my life have connections to other people in my life and in my past. It's like God is making a Networking community just for me! Anyway...after being inspired and encouraged God took me to His Word for a little bit, and He started speaking words of encouragement to me during this time of trying to stay on the path...

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 "12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

James 1: 2-18 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created."

2 Peter 1: 3-11 "3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

God has prepared me for this very time. He has given me everything I need to get out of temptation and I will be stronger through the struggle as long as I keep my focus.

If you are facing a time of temptation, no matter what it looks like...God has given you the ability and opportunity to get out of it. It may not go away, but by persevering you'll be stronger than you were before. 

Take courage. You aren't that far gone. God is in the business of forgiveness and restoration. 

(If this encouraged you today, be sure to share it below. Share comments as you are inspired to.)