When My Courage Melts Away
By: Kristine Brown
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” - Psalm 107:28-29 NIV
I like to think of myself as a courageous person, but truth be told, when adversity comes I’ve been known to cower in fear. Unexpected hardships happen and my courage seems to just melt away. That’s a hard truth to admit, in a culture that tells me I need to stand strong, laugh in the face of fear, and overcome any obstacle. So when I’d rather hide under the covers than prepare for battle, I feel like a coward.
It’s important in a world that encourages self-sufficiency and praises the independent woman that I remember what God’s Word says about relying on my own strength. Sure, we need to be strong and brave. No doubt about that. But we also need to understand that our own strength may not hold up when a storm comes.
The seamen described in Psalm 107 knew firsthand the fear of facing raging storms with no hope for survival. They were teetering on the edge of death as a tempest rose all around them, and they lost their courage. “...in their peril their courage melted away.” (Psalm 107:26)
Reminds me of the familiar story in Luke 8:22-24, when Jesus and the disciples boarded a ship to cross the Sea of Galilee. Some of them were fishermen, no doubt capable of handling challenges a storm could bring. Yet even the experienced group members lost their courage.
As Jesus rested, the disciples rushed to him in a panic saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” (Luke 8:24) Just like the merchants in Psalm 107, “their courage melted away.” We can imagine those seamen as confident men who faced storms all the time. Surely their physical strength helped them handle just about anything. But even the strongest person can get blown over if he relies on his own strength to save him.
“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” Psalm 107:28-29 NIV
From today’s passage, we learn a valuable truth about our relationship with God. Our courage may melt away, but God’s strength never will.
Are you feeling less than courageous today? Have circumstances caused you to fear? Allow God to whisper peace into your life right now as you rest in this. Relying on God’s strength instead of our own does not make us cowards. It makes us courageous because of Jesus. We are victorious when we give our fears to Him. As we come face-to-face with storms in our lives, let’s remember the constant power of God’s strength.
Discover more about walking in faith with resources from Kristine Brown’s Life Enrichment Library. You’ll also find weekly encouragement to help you “become more than yourself through God’s Word” at her website, kristinebrown.net. Kristine is the author of the book, Over It. Conquering Comparison to Live Out God’s Plan, and the companion devotional for teen girls.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
