The Courage of Our Convictions - Part 2

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen
your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Psalm 31:24

When we start to talk about the importance of having the courage to live out our convictions, maybe looking at what happens when the needed courage is missing will help us to understand. In every situation where there is a difference between what we believe and the reality of our lives, a gap forms, a dangerous gap that can get filled in with the wrong things over time.

Kyle Idleman said this on the subject: “When actions violate convictions, a general sense of fatigue and frustration begins to mark one’s life.” When a gap exists between how we are living and the convictions of our heart, frustration with ourselves and fatigue because of the internal struggle come rushing in to the gap that exists. Jesus said something very similar about deliverance when He warned that if a person delivered didn’t fill the void left in their life, then the enemy would return in even greater force. The gap between action and belief cannot be the status quo in our lives because that gap will eventually get filled in.

And it’s not only us who are affected. Idleman went on to say, “If your life isn’t aligned with your convictions, it’s only a matter of time before your frustration with yourself spills over onto others and you become a hard person to live with.” The courage to live out our convictions, our core beliefs, is essential to our well being and to the well being of those around us.

God stirred Joshua to “be strong and very courageous” for his own good. And Joshua years later stirred the people in the same way saying, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous.” Billy Graham said, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” And C. S. Lewis added this: “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but courage is the form of every virtue at its testing point.”

The courage to ……….. I’ll let you fill in the blank, but find the courage in any area of life where your convictions and your life don’t line up and you’ll be the better off for it. Even the American Heart Association, a secular group, agrees, saying, “Examine your values and live by them. The more your actions reflect your beliefs, the better you will feel.” Let’s start to close any gaps that exist between convictions and reality, and close the door to frustration and fatigue.

God bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church

The Courage of Our Convictions

“Be strong and courageous; do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

What enables the Iranian housewife to step into the river to be baptized knowing that persecution, and quite possibly death, might well await her?
The courage of her convictions.

What moves the Chinese pastor to withhold the location of their secret church in the face of torture and imprisonment by government authorities?
The courage of his convictions.

What was behind Eric Liddell giving up his chance at an Olympic gold medal in the 100 yard dash, his best event, rather than run on a Sunday?
The courage of his convictions.

We could talk about the husband or wife who refuses to leave their spouse despite mounting difficulties, and in the face of feeling abandoned and betrayed; or the man or woman who refuses to lie, cheat or deceive at work knowing it might cost them their desperately needed job. And the teenager who would rather spend Friday nights at home alone than be with school friends who are drinking and doing drugs would be another all too real example. And the reason why, in each case and in the untold examples that dot our lives, would be “the courage of their convictions.”

We could define it as having enough courage and determination to carry out one’s goals and stay true to one’s beliefs. The courage of our convictions is having the boldness and the confidence to do or say what you think is right regardless of who disagrees with you and regardless of what the consequences might be.

The conviction part is easy – we should all have “firmly held beliefs or opinions.” But that conviction is only as valid as the cost we are willing to pay to live it out. And that’s where courage comes in. The Iranian housewife, the Chinese pastor and the Scottish runner all have one thing in common -  they each needed courage to live out their Christian beliefs.

The courage to stand, the courage to fight, the courage to suffer if need be, the courage to not give up, and the courage to say no are the marks of those who have faced a challenge to their beliefs and not relented to the pressure. My prayer is that we’ll find strength today from the encouragement that the Lord gave Joshua, “be strong and courageous – I’ll be with you” to live out our beliefs, and to stand for the convictions of our heart.

God Bless

Pastor Joe

Gateway Church