‘Bold’ is never a word I would use to describe myself. As a child and teenager, I was prone to anxiety and shied away from anything that would create conflict and make my stomach turn to knots. I remember my mom telling me several times throughout my adolescent years that I needed to learn to be more assertive.
Nothing could be more terrifying to me.
As an adult, not much has changed in that department, if I’m being honest. But what has changed is a desire to be bold in my relationship with God. And I’m learning I can be audacious in my faith without being extremely outspoken or outwardly assertive.
In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses the church in Corinth and says that because they have hope in the Spirit, they are bold. He goes on to say because of Christ, a veil is lifted from our faces and the Spirit of the Lord is revealed.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. When we know Christ, we have hope in him. Because we have hope in him, we can be bold and feel freedom in that.
Something I’ve been practicing recently is being bold in my prayer life. This might seem like a no-brainer to some people, but I have often struggled to be daring in my conversations with God out of a fear of asking too much of him or hearing an answer I’m not ready for.
God, who created the world and every living and breathing thing in it, can handle anything I bring to him. Without question. Why beat around the bush? As long as we’re praying according to God’s will, then God will answer our prayers.
Often I’m simply at a loss and don’t know what to pray for, or I’m worried that my desires and prayers won’t align with what God wants for me. When I get to that point of uncertainty in my conversations with God, Romans 8:26-27 always pops into my mind.
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”
What an assuring truth. Even though we don’t always know God’s will when we pray or know what to say, the Spirit himselfintercedes—speaks for us. And since the Spirit always prays according to God’s will, God will always answer the Spirit’s prayers – which are for us – in the affirmative.
As I become bolder in my prayer life, I hold firm to that truth. The Spirit of God truly does bring me freedom and because of it, I’m more willing to step out of my comfort zone to be courageous in other ways. If I’m feeling conviction or a sense of urgency in a situation in which I normally wouldn’t step out in faith, I can pretty much guarantee it’s coming from the Spirit.
He is a God of boldness, and since we are made in his image, we, too, can become bold – in faith, in prayer, and in love.
God, I pray you would give me a heart of urgency to act bold in my faith. You have promised me a spirit of power, love, and self-control. Give me the wisdom and desire to live that out so others can see you.
Sarah Moreau is a twenty-something who loves hiking, camping, reading, and going on adventures with friends. She works at a homeless shelter for women and children where she teaches, helps women obtain GEDs, guides them in pursuing education or careers, and walks with them through the difficult path of recovery from addiction and life struggles. Sarah has been writing since she was a kid – both for her own enjoyment and for others to read. On her days off, you can find Sarah reading, spending time with her 2-year-old nephew or close friends, hiking, or coming up with a new recipe in the kitchen. You can read more of her work at Problems 31 Women.