Courage calls you to step forward in spite of your fear and uncertainty. Sometimes this takes you to a place of standing alone. Maybe it calls you to do the right thing when everyone else says it is okay to just go along. What if you are suddenly left alone to figure out life on your own? To move forward, make decisions, and continue on, you must have courage. God calls His children to have courage because His strength is near.

Barak, the commander of Israel’s army, was called to courage. Deborah, the current judge over Israel, had summoned him and inquired about the 10,000 warriors he had not yet gathered to go against the Canaanites. You see, because of their sin, the children of Israel had been turned over to King Jabin of Hazor. Through their twenty years of captivity, Israel had been cruelly treated by the Canaanites. Barak knew Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army was ruthless. With an army composed of 900 iron chariots as well as warriors on foot, Barak was hesitant to gather his small army of 10,000. Barak saw the strength in what was before him rather than the Strength that surrounded him. His courage failed, and he stayed stuck in his situation rather than following the Lord’s command.

Forced to face his situation, Barak offered a suggestion.

“Barak told her (Deborah), “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. At Kedesh, Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him.” (Judges 4:8-10 NLT)

Guided by God, Deborah and Barak led the Israelite army, and God brought them victory and freedom from the Canaanites. And Sisera? He died at the hand of a woman named Jael. God was ready to give Barak everything he needed to succeed in the plan He had designed, but Barak did not trust God’s plan for victory. He did not draw his strength from God, who was ready and waiting to stand beside him and fight, so God brought victory through another.

Barak was not alone in being called to have courage. Paul recognized his need to be courageous when he was imprisoned toward the end of his life. He found himself deserted and facing death. With no one around to come to him in a time of greatest need, he was alone, yet he recognized he was not alone.

“At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” (2 Timothy 4:16-17 ESV)

Paul knew the way forward looked bleak, but he drew courage from the knowledge that God went before Him. He was assured God would provide the needed deliverance as He had before or God would deliver him safely home to heaven. Whatever the case, Paul declared, “For I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” (2 Timothy 1:12b)

Without a doubt, it is hard to be the only one to choose to do the right thing. It is hard to make your way on your own and follow what Christ is leading you to do. God calls you to a life of courage. He calls you to remember that in those moments of feeling alone, you are not alone. You have the greatest source of strength surrounding you to help you do what you need to do.

Are you facing a situation that calls for you to be courageous? Know who you believe in and in God’s strength do what you are called to do. You are moving forward in the strength of the Lord, Most High, and He is with you. With His strength, your courage never needs to fail.