In the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz,” the Cowardly Lion makes an important admission to Dorothy and the Tin Man.

Cowardly Lion: “I am a coward! I haven’t any courage at all. I even scare myself. Look at the circles under my eyes. I haven’t slept in weeks!”
Tin Man: “Why don’t you try counting sheep?”
Cowardly Lion: “That doesn’t do any good; I’m afraid of ’em.”

If we’re honest, we all are afraid of something. It might be about issues surrounding our health, our wealth (or lack of it), our jobs, our children, our marriage, our relationships, the future or a thousand other worries. Fear is almost always attached to the unknown, and it’s easy to fall to the temptation of being terrified that the worst will happen.

Real courage is not the absence of fear but is the strength of character to get up and do what we know we need to do. As Mark Twain noted, “Courage is resistance to fear, not absence of fear, but mastery of fear.” We have to choose to face the fear, not in reckless abandon like foolish people who cast caution to the wind, but as wise, careful and responsible individuals.

Sometimes fear can be a great motivator, as it can prompt us to take action to deal with a crisis, even an unpleasant one. But we might need a little nudge from a caring friend or family member to help us be more courageous. The word “encourage” comes from the Old French word encoragier, which essentially means “make one’s heart stronger.” When someone puts courage into our hearts, we become brave enough to do what’s necessary for the task at hand.

President Teddy Roosevelt once observed that “Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you don’t have the strength.”

So, where do we go to get the strength we need to be courageous in the face of fear? I think Charles Lindbergh knew. The first man to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in an airplane, not knowing if he’d survive the journey, said, “Is he alone who has courage on his right hand and faith on his left?” 

Lindbergh understood that we don’t have to go through life flying solo because God is more than happy to join us in our journey, wherever it takes us. You see, the opposite of fear is not courage, but faith… faith in a loving God who promises to never leave or forsake us. It’s because God is with us that we can, with His help, overcome even our greatest fears. That’s why the Bible says “do not fear” 365 times – one reminder for each day of the year.

You don’t have to be a cowardly lion. Ask God to give you a brave heart. And He will.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9