This post is part of a series from the hope*writers New Year Writing Challenge. Here is my post from day 6: Brave.
When I think about moments of bravery that I have encountered in my life, there doesn't seem to be a big preamble or defining moment. It is nearly always everyday people facing circumstances out of their control, and simply, quietly, doing what needs to be done. This is what I keep coming back to: bravery doesn't feel brave.
It's getting up in the morning even though everything hurts. It's also letting go of the to do list and letting your mind and body rest. It's taking on responsibility of being the breadwinner because the bills have to be paid. It's also trusting God for His provision when you have no idea where it's coming from. It's following His leading and being surrendered to His will in all that we do.
The bravest man I ever knew didn't have medals or awards to show for it. He walked the world in darkness, he endured needle pricks and stumbles. My grandpa was fully blind by the time I was born, but in many ways, I think he saw the world more clearly than I ever will.
My guess is that when my grandpa first began experiencing hard things: diabetes, the resulting blindness, sorting how to provide for the family; he was probably afraid. There were probably a lot of what ifs and what do we dos. There would have been sadness, pain, tears, and anger. But I also know that there was courage and bravery. It didn't look like bravado, though. It looked like simply doing what needed doing, even in the middle of the unknown, in the middle of fear, in the middle of opposition.
Whatever those hard things are for you, remember this: it's ok to do things afraid. Bravery doesn't feel brave. But, he is there, with you and through you, empowering you to do what needs doing.
When I think about moments of bravery that I have encountered in my life, there doesn't seem to be a big preamble or defining moment. It is nearly always everyday people facing circumstances out of their control, and simply, quietly, doing what needs to be done. This is what I keep coming back to: bravery doesn't feel brave.
It's getting up in the morning even though everything hurts. It's also letting go of the to do list and letting your mind and body rest. It's taking on responsibility of being the breadwinner because the bills have to be paid. It's also trusting God for His provision when you have no idea where it's coming from. It's following His leading and being surrendered to His will in all that we do.
The bravest man I ever knew didn't have medals or awards to show for it. He walked the world in darkness, he endured needle pricks and stumbles. My grandpa was fully blind by the time I was born, but in many ways, I think he saw the world more clearly than I ever will.
My guess is that when my grandpa first began experiencing hard things: diabetes, the resulting blindness, sorting how to provide for the family; he was probably afraid. There were probably a lot of what ifs and what do we dos. There would have been sadness, pain, tears, and anger. But I also know that there was courage and bravery. It didn't look like bravado, though. It looked like simply doing what needed doing, even in the middle of the unknown, in the middle of fear, in the middle of opposition.
Whatever those hard things are for you, remember this: it's ok to do things afraid. Bravery doesn't feel brave. But, he is there, with you and through you, empowering you to do what needs doing.
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