Choosing Boldness « Wayne Hastings

The following is an excerpt from my latest book, The Way Back from Loss:

“Words of doubt often get so loud that we fail to act. A horrible feeling builds in our stomach. Sometimes we can’t sleep. We fail to move forward. So we stay with what is safe and opportunities pass us by.”^{^[i]} —Robert Kiyosaki

Today’s Verse: “At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped.” (Numbers 9:15–21 NKJV)

Fear opens the door for the Enemy to work in our lives, but faith opens the door for God to work.

Everywhere the Israelites traveled, God was with them. They were blessed with a visible reminder of God’s presence. When the cloud or fire moved, they moved. When the cloud or fire stopped, they stopped. They trusted.

We need to understand that sometimes God’s plan is to move us. He closes doors, and He opens new ones. We need to be open to His leading (in spite of how it hurts at the moment). He’s in control. He’s our cloud and fire. When God tells us to move, we can’t look at our feelings or our discomfort—even as real as they might be. Our negative emotions cannot make our decisions for us. We need to seek God, trust Him, and choose boldness to be moved.

In Joshua 1:9, God says to Israel’s new leader, “Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (AMP).

He’s saying, “Fear not! Be bold!” Fear comes from circumstances, other people’s opinions, the flesh, and what we think or feel. It’s stirred up by the Enemy. Joshua is experiencing the loss of his mentor, and the iconic leader, Moses. He’s probably feeling a bit intimidated and fearful. So, God powerfully charges him to be bold.

This kind of boldness doesn’t come easy for us. We have to make a conscious effort to trust and be bold. We may question our self-esteem or worth. We may begin to ask why and lose confidence in ourselves and in what God has called us to do.

When this happens, we need to deliberately choose boldness. Don’t look at conventional wisdom, circumstances, what you have accomplished, and the why. Choose to look at God and let Him show you His steps.

If you’re trying to put the pieces of your life back together on your own, stop. It’s time for you to boldly choose to trust God’s way.

INSIGHT: Be open to God’s leading and direction by boldly choosing to trust and not fear.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you clearly know and understand His voice. Ask Him for help when you feel down or upset. Seek to put all your burdens upon Him instead of trying to solve everything yourself. Ask Him for His boldness.

LIFE CHOICES:

Study Numbers 9:15–21 and Isaiah 43:1–3. What does God’s presence mean to you? How can being strong and courageous, with God’s help, get you through your loss?
Understand that choosing to let fear invade your thinking will keep you from seeing and experiencing God’s direction and best for your life. Yes, it may hurt today, but trusting God and His plan will enable you to move forward in your loss and in your life. Be bold.
Discover the blessing of letting go and allowing God to lead and guide you. The Israelites had the cloud and the fire of God to lead them. We have His Word and His promises. Find specific verses that you can commit to memory, and then stand firmly and boldly on those promises.

^{^[i]} Robert T. Kiyosaki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money—That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!, (New York, Warner Books, 1997, 1998), E-book edition.