Courage, Dear Heart.
Inspired by the Gathered Grace watercolor card, “Courage, Dear Heart.”
A Little Piece of History
When L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, he introduced readers to a rather unusual King of Beasts: a lion convinced he had no courage at all.
But Baum tucked something beautiful into the Lion’s story. Long before the Wizard supposedly gives him courage, the Lion is already practicing it. He stays beside his friends. He faces danger. He keeps traveling the road even while admitting that he is afraid.
The Lion spends much of his journey looking for something his actions have already begun to reveal: courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s choosing to move forward in spite of it.
Devotional
Maybe that’s why the Cowardly Lion feels so familiar.
We sometimes imagine courageous faith looks fearless. If we really trusted God, surely we wouldn’t worry. Our hands wouldn’t shake. We wouldn’t lie awake wondering how everything is going to work out.
But Psalm 27 gives us a different picture of courage: “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous.”
Sometimes waiting requires more courage than moving.
It takes courage to keep praying when the answer hasn’t come. To remain faithful when the road ahead disappears around the bend. To whisper, “Lord, I don’t know what You’re doing, but I’m still following You.”
Look at that little lion sitting along the yellow road. The destination may be visible in the distance, but there is still quite a journey between where he is and where he’s going. Maybe you’re somewhere along that road too. You can see what you’ve been praying for, or perhaps you can’t see it at all.
Either way, God isn’t asking you to manufacture enough courage for the entire journey today. He’s asking you to trust Him with this part of the road.
So if your heart is pounding, take the step anyway. If you’re still waiting, keep praying. If you’re afraid, reach for His hand.
Courage, dear heart. The Lord is already on the road with you.
A Little Something to Gather
Where are you waiting on God right now? Have you mistaken feeling afraid for lacking faith?
Today, instead of asking God to remove every fear, try praying, “Lord, give me the courage to trust You while I wait.”
Scripture
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.”
Psalm 27:14, NLT
Prayer
Lord, when the road feels long and my heart feels afraid, help me remember that courage doesn’t mean having everything figured out. Give me the strength to trust You while I wait and the faith to take the next step, knowing You are already there. Amen.