Courage

When I think of courage, my thoughts turn to images of a battlefield, with the commander giving his advancing troops some sort of magnificent pep talk to spur them on to victory. "Courage men!" he cries. The soldiers raise their weapons, the shout of "Charge!!" permeating the airwaves.



I've never been in a physical battle. I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do. Within the first five minutes of combat I'd probably fight for the wrong side, fall flat on my face while running toward the enemy, or shoot my gun off in the wrong direction and kill an innocent bird in a tree.

So I will leave the fighting to those more adept at it.

But even thought I can't fight, it doesn't mean I don't need courage.

I do.

It takes courage to trust God with my future.

It takes courage to leave my hopes and dreams for marriage in His hands, and keep holding onto that faith even when it seems utterly impossible that anything will ever happen.

It takes courage to keep on waiting, when my eyes see nothing beginning. When the desire for marriage seems a lost cause, that God has forgotten about me. When everyone else around me has it happen for them and I'm left clinging to the hope that God does indeed have a special plan for my life.

Singleness takes courage. Sometimes quite a bit.

But not for the sake of just being brave.

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement
that something else is more important."
~Ambrose Redmoon

True courage is much more.

I'll admit that sometimes I do fear.
I do struggle with being scared that maybe God really did run out of eligible guys. That He miscalculated and I'm one too many girls. Of course these fears are irrational, but most fears are irrational.

Struggling with fear doesn't mean I don't have courage. Courage is more than acting despite fears. Courage is knowing I don't see the whole picture. Courage is knowing that my life is a tablet on which my Heavenly Father wants to write a story that will cause others to marvel at His glory. That will make those around me fall down in worship of Him.

It's continuing to trust despite the fears, knowing that something else, other than my desires and dreams, is more important. There's a witness for the world at stake, that those who don't know Christ may see real faith, tough faith, the kind that doesn't settle for the good, but waits for the best. And that those who do know Him, but are faltering, may turn to their sister or brother, and be encouraged to keep on keeping on.

Courage means sobbing from the aches of desire, but still praising God for His faithfulness, and believing in His perfect plans.

Courage means cheering on those around you who "cross the line" first.

Courage means faithfulness in the daily life God has called you to, even though nothing changes.

Because in the end, it's not about us--it's about our lives pointing others to Him, be it through marriage or singleness.

So even though I am no commander, I say to my fellow single troops--"Courage!"

~Miss Deb