“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without it, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou

“It is easy to stand in the crowd, but it takes courage to stand alone.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“How beautifully you are learning the art of surrender, the courage to let go, in the wild of your unknowns.” – Morgan Harper Nichols

“When you are in doubt, be still, and wait; when doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage.  So long as mists envelop you, be still; be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists – as it surely will.  Then…act with courage.” – Ponca Chief White Eagle

When I hear the word courage, the first thing that comes to mind for me is valor – a fearless mindset when facing imminent danger.   It is a word that denotes movement – a call to action.  One cannot possibly be courageous doing nothing, giving up, or by retreating inward.

Or can they?

The more I think about it my friend, the more I begin to see how the best kind of courage – the kind that is life-changing – can be found in solitude, surrender, and stillness. 

Our human nature compels us to fight for our own ways and opinions, to hold on and never let go, and to follow the masses to comfortably fit in.  We believe it takes tremendous courage to stand up for your rights, to passionately go after your dreams (never say die!) and to sway and influence the crowd to think and feel as we do.

There indeed is nothing wrong with these forms of courage.  They too require a type of nerve and bravery and given the right motives and intentions, they can certainly be beneficial to us and others.

But so often we have discussed how this world values the opposite of true spiritual virtues. Society sees no value in giving up, in standing alone, or in stillness and waiting.  The world views those behaviors as incongruent with true courage – pessimistic, anti-social, and apathetic.  Courage, they say, has nothing to do with giving up or surrendering.  Bravery is not connected in any way to resisting to act – to be still and simply do nothing.  To retreat from the crowd, to go off on your own, seems cowardly and introverted.

But take a few minutes to consider the courage found in the following….

Courage to Surrender

Have you ever let go of a relationship you desired with all your heart, but just wasn’t possible anymore?  Have you ever had to lay down a lifelong dream that had no more realism to it – that became too far out of reach?  Have you ever had to submit to an outcome that was so far away from the way you wanted things to turn out – in direct opposition to your deepest aspirations?

If you have my friend, you have demonstrated an act of tremendous courage!  This kind of self-sacrifice – to face up to what is and what may never be – is a form of valor like no other.  To “accept the things we cannot change” – to surrender and lay down our wants and desires in the face of immovable obstacles is enduring a pain that is beyond description.

But the real courage within surrender is found in releasing everything to God – coming to the conclusion that His way is the best way.  The courage to let go of your dream, your desire, and what you wanted for your life and to blindly and willingly allow God to take you down the pathway He desires.  That my friend is not only brave, but wise!

“Surrender is deeply misunderstood as an act of weakness.  Surrender is the bravest and most lucid thing a human ever does, and that is why it is so precious to the Divine.” – Andrew Harvey

Courage to Stand Alone

Have you ever decided to follow your calling, your own path – doing what others saw as foolish, too risky or outside of the norm?  Have you ever stood for a deep, moral conviction that others quickly criticized?  Have you ever faced rejection from a group or individual – made to feel not worthy or valuable anymore?

If you have my friend, you are more fearless and daring than you realize!  It is so easy to give into the crowd, to blend into the norms, to become a doormat for others to walk over – simply to avoid their negative, hurtful response.

“To stand alone against all adversity is the most sacred moment of existence.” – Frank Herbert

Some of the most meaningful and defining life moments are centered in following your own predestined pathway – not traversing the highway of life where the masses are traveling fast and furiously!  Those life-changing moments are often experienced in solitude, in following your own heart, and in doing what is right – regardless of what others may say or think.

I have recently been reminded that when I muster the courage to stand alone, knowing I am rejected in the eyes of many and criticized for following a pathway that isn’t the worldly norm, in fact; I am not alone 🙂

We may have the courage to stand alone, but in truth, we are constantly guided and directed toward our calling, encouraged and supported as we attempt to do what is right and good, and NEVER, EVER left or forsaken to face the hurt of rejection on our own 🙂

Courage to Be Still

Have you ever resisted the urge to act – choosing to wait when everything and everyone around you pushed you to make a decision?  Have you ever chosen quietness and trust over self-determination and decisive action?  Have you ever patiently waited for your circumstances to change versus taking action (any kind of action) to get the ball moving NOW – to force the change to occur?

If you have my friend, you have more guts and more resolve than you think!  Stillness is one of the best kinds of courage!  To place value in waiting is whole heartedly trusting in the providence and sovereignty of God – resisting the urge to make things happen according to our own desires and our own plans.

When we purposely choose to be still when life is foggy and unclear, we are bravely and courageously allowing God’s plans and ways to unfold.

So often in my own life my friend, I have become a coward in this regard – believing that if I DON’T MAKE IT HAPPEN, then nothing will happen!  My own ego and my own desired outcomes were more important and more urgent than the wisdom and courage to wait on God’s timing – allowing HIS BEST PLANS for me to develop.

It takes tremendous courage to do nothing – to be still when it feels like you should be doing something.  But the truth my friend is that choosing stillness isn’t doing nothing – it is actively waiting, listening, and looking for God in all that unfolds.

“Be still.  The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” – Ram Dass

“Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God” – Job 37:14

“The Lord will fight for you.  You need only to be still.” – Exodus 14:14

I hope you take some time to contemplate the bravery and wisdom behind surrender, the daring audacity found in choosing stillness over action, and the tremendous nerve and resolution it takes to stand alone versus following the crowd.

I pray you embrace this kind of courage in your life – the best kind there is 🙂

God bless!