Courage Is Proof You’re Afraid
Dear Readers,
At our Tuesday night ladies Bible study, my daughter said something that completely stopped me in my tracks.
“Courage is proof you are afraid.”
And wow, that one sentence really hit me. It reminded me of something my preacher once said: being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. It means you do the thing anyway. You step forward, you speak up, you act, even when fear is still there. And that, my friends, is what real courage looks like.
We were studying Rahab that night. Her life and the safety of her family were on the line, yet she made the choice to hide God’s spies. She chose faith over fear when everything around her was dangerous and uncertain. Can we just pause for a second and think about that? That is real courage. Her story reminds us that courage doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid, it means trusting God enough to act anyway.
Here’s where it hits home for me personally. I’ve faced situations where stepping out in faith felt terrifying. Launching a new business, speaking up in a meeting, or even being vulnerable with someone I love. My hands were shaking, my stomach tied in knots, and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. But when I took that step anyway, God showed up in ways I could never have planned.
And I know it’s the same for you. Courage might show up in a quiet but powerful way, like having a difficult conversation with a friend or family member when your heart is pounding but you know it needs to happen. It could be saying yes to a new opportunity even though every part of you feels unsure or unprepared. Sometimes courage is praying boldly for someone or stepping into a ministry role even when it feels intimidating. And other times, it’s standing up for someone who needs your voice, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable.
I have to be honest with you. Just because I write about faith and courage doesn’t mean I have it all together. Fear can be loud, heavy, and persistent, and some days it feels like it’s pressing down on every part of me. I try hard to remember faith over fear, and I fail at it sometimes. But that is the thing about courage. It isn’t about never feeling afraid. It’s about choosing to trust God, even when fear is real. I’m still a work in progress, learning to take those steps of faith day by day. If you’re anything like me, some days it’s just…hard.
Every single one of these moments matters. They might not feel like big, world-changing actions, but each time we step forward in faith, God sees it, He honors it, and He uses it in ways far beyond what we can imagine.
So today, if fear is sitting on your shoulder, just whisper a little faith and take the next step. Take that word, make that move, and trust God with the rest. Courage isn’t about being fearless. Courage is proof that you are human, that you are alive, and that you are willing to trust God even when it’s hard.
With fearlessness and faith,
Just Catrina
