The Dona Watson Show

6 Ways to Build Courage in Your Life

• Dona Watson • Season 3 • Episode 3

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How do you stand in strength and courage when you don't feel like it? Let's look at some key scriptures and strategies from the Bible that tell us how to be courageous and not get discouraged.

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Speaker 00:

Hello, hello. Welcome to the Dona Watson Show. I'm your host, Dona Watson.

Speaker 00:

Hi there. Today I'm going to talk to you about six ways that you can cultivate courage and strength in your life. Life throws a lot of challenges our way, a lot of adversities. And as we navigate these challenges with wisdom and courage, how can we do that without being overcome with discouragement?

Speaker 00:

We can look in the Bible and find many places where it can instruct us on how to do that. It tells us to be strong. It tells us to be courageous. But sometimes it seems like that is easier said than done. And how are we supposed to do that when we don't feel like it, when we don't feel like a strong person? That's what we're gonna talk about today.

Speaker 00:

I've had lots of opportunities to test these strategies in my own life, whether it was losing my husband to cancer or going through a flood on my property. I mean, there's so many ways that adversity has come into my life that has given me a chance to test what I'm going to share with you. So I know that it works, and that's why I'm really excited that I get to share this with you today. I've come to find the truth in these strategies, and it is my hope that you will as well.

Speaker 00:

I love Proverbs 21:31. In the New Living, it says, The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord." Now while we need to keep in mind that God is the one who enables us to achieve the victory like it states in this scripture, we still need to prepare the horse for the battle. We need to do everything that we can to make sure that we are set up for victory. The Bible offers us lots of practical ways that we can cultivate strength and courage while avoiding discouragement. So let's jump right in.

Speaker 00:

The first key point that I want to talk to you about is we can cultivate courage and strength in our life by simply trusting in God's promises and in His presence. Joshua 1:9 is one of my favorite scriptures of all time. And it's where the Lord comes to Joshua and he says, "Have I not commanded you, be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Speaker 00:

Not only is this important because it tells us what we need to do, but it also tells us why. It connects us our being strong, it connects our being courageous directly to remembering that the Lord is going to be with us wherever we go. Just like he was with Joshua, he has been with me, and he probably has been with you too if you've been walking in the way.

Speaker 00:

This theme appears throughout scripture. That courage comes from knowing that you're not alone in facing your struggles. We can take heart in knowing that God is there with us. He's walking with us. And that brings so much comfort. Knowing that God's got our back really helps us to be strong and to stand with lots of strength and courage.

Speaker 00:

The second key point and strategy that you can use in being strong and courageous is to meditate on and obey God's word. It is so important to read your Word, to read the Bible, every day. In this same passage from Joshua, chapter 1 verse 9, God is telling Joshua to meditate on the law day and night and to be careful to obey it. We see also in the Psalms, they repeatedly emphasize how God's Word provides strength and guidance.

Speaker 00:

For example, Psalm 119 verse 28 says, "My soul is weary with sorrow, strengthen me according to your word." God's word brings us strength. And that's why we need to read it every day because of the words and the promises that are in there that bolster us when we're feeling down and really helps the Lord speak into our hearts.

Speaker 00:

The third strategy is to remember God's past faithfulness to you. This is one reason why I journal. I love to write down the victories in my life, the things that God's done for me, the things that have gone right. I don't believe in coincidence. I believe that everything happens for a reason and that God's hand is in control of my life. And that way, when I'm in my journal, I can go back and I can look and see what God has done for my life and remember that he hasn't failed me before, he's not gonna fail me again.

Speaker 00:

We see a similar thing in the Bible with Bible characters like David. When he fought Goliath, he remembered and got courage from remembering that God had delivered him from the lions and the bears. And he knew that if God delivered him from the lions and the bears, that he would deliver him from the giant Goliath as well, because he had God's kingdom in mind, not his selfish needs.

Speaker 00:

The Israelites also were repeatedly told to remember how God had delivered them from Egypt. It was an important remembrance stone. And that is something that we can do. We can remember what God has done for us and use that to build our courage and our strength for the current adversity that we are in, knowing that God is not gonna fail us.

Speaker 00:

The next strategy is to pray and cast your anxiety on God. This is biblical. Philippians chapter four, verses six and seven instructs believers not to be anxious, but to present their requests to God through prayer. This scripture promises that God's peace will guard their hearts and their minds. It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Speaker 00:

These words of Paul's are so true. When we present everything to God, we turn it over to Him, we know He's got our back, and we tell Him what we need. We can know that He's going to help take care of that, and we don't have to worry about it. We can just dismiss it from our mind and let God's peace invade our hearts.

Speaker 00:

1 Peter 5.7 says to "cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." And that's what we get to do.

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The fifth strategy is to focus on God's character rather than the circumstances. For this point, we're going to go to the book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 31. It's a very famous passage. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint."

Speaker 00:

This scripture from Isaiah promises that those who hope in the Lord will will renew their strength. That is a promise you can bet on. You can take that to the bank. The Bible consistently points to how God's power, his faithfulness, and his love is the foundation for our courage. And that allows us to rely on him rather than having to stand in our own human strength alone.

Speaker 00:

You see, God is bigger than any adversity we will ever face. And what a comfort that is. It has been to me. I know that no matter what comes my way, He's not surprised. He knows what was coming my way. And He already has made provision for helping me through that adversity and to come out the other side a stronger person because I was able to know that God had my back. I can do this. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Speaker 00:

And that brings me to the sixth point. When you're going through adversity in particular, it's important to surround yourself with strong, like-minded people, with an encouraging community. There's a scripture in Ecclesiastes, chapter 4, verse 12, that says, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." When we stand together, we are stronger. We can encourage each other. We don't have to do everything all by ourselves. If you don't have a team, it's a good time to find one. Find people who can stand with you, who will be able to encourage you when you're down.

Speaker 00:

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." This scripture encourages believers to spur one another towards love and good deeds, rather than to go our own way and be on our own and do the lone wolf thing, but to stand together stronger.

Speaker 00:

There's two sides to this coin also. Not just that you're relying on others, but that you are there for other people, that you're there looking to encourage your friends in the community to give strength to them as well.

Speaker 00:

So we see according to these principles and these scriptures that I've laid out today, that in the Bible, true courage comes not from self-reliance, but from anchoring yourself in God's unchanging character and in his promises for you. And that is where you can find true courage today and you can do what Joshua did and be strong and courageous, knowing that God's got your back.

Speaker 00:

And if this blessed you, I wanna share one more resource with you. I still have available my Warrior Queen book bundle to help you thrive and have courage in these chaotic times. There's a link in the show notes, I've put together a very special bundle with a really steep discount so that you can get the paperback book, the paperback study guide that goes with it of Be the Warrior Queen, which is full of practical Christian strategies to help you stand strong. You also get the audiobook. And there's some other bonuses in there that I have for you that I think will help you and bless you. So look for that in the show notes.

Speaker 00:

And until next time, be strong and courageous. Know that God's got your back. You got this. Love you guys. Bye-bye.

Speaker 00:

If you loved this, please give it a like or thumbs up or leave a comment with your thoughts. I love to hear from you and your comments help me to know what topics you'd like to see me cover. For more information on my books and other projects, visit my website at DonaWatson.com or my Substack at DonaWatson.substack.com.