How to be Courageous for God – Catholic Advice
Fear is such an inhibitor to our faith. It can be accompanied by a woozy feeling in the stomach, sweaty palms, heavy palpitations, or negative, destructive thoughts that second-guess our abilities, worth, and call from God. That’s the thing we need to remember: God is the one who put this call to action in our hearts, and he did it for a reason. Let’s look at how God wants to help you be courageous!
While I might not know your specific situation, I’m sure you can agree that many lies from the enemy fuel fear. He is the one who does not want you to dive deep into those leaps of faith because he will start to lose grip on you. Don’t let him!
As a Christian, you are a free, beloved child of God. The Devil only has as much hold on you as you let him, so stop giving him the satisfaction of seeing you drown in fear, guilt, and, ultimately, disobedience.
Speak Truth to Your Heart.
The first thing you should do is call to mind all of those lies. Whether it’s doubting your goodness, failing to trust God to take you out of your habitual sins, or being vulnerable and selfless, whatever it may be, bring it to light. Write them down on a piece of paper and place them at the foot of the cross. If you are able to go to adoration, do this in front of the Blessed Sacrament, but it works just as well if you are in a quiet place with your heart seeking his heavenly embrace. Give it a few moments of silence, and let God hold your fears. Let his precious blood wash away those worries. Allow him to fill up the void they’ve left with his love.
Okay, so now you are ready to speak to God about this mission of valor. Ask him why he is putting this new desire into being courageous. Is it to bring someone else closer to God? Is it to teach you to trust him more deeply?
One thing that a lovely friend told me when talking about this was, “God doesn’t use us, not even for the good of others.” You see, using is the opposite of loving, and God does not contradict himself. If he’s asking you to embark on a journey of courage regarding someone else, he is also doing it for your good.
Define Courageous.
Let’s talk about the word Courage. Did you know this is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit? Courage, or fortitude, is defined in the CCC 1808 as “the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in pursuing the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and overcome moral life obstacles.”
This virtue helps us persevere in spite of our fears of being humiliated, rejected, or hurt. Ultimately, we exercise the virtue of being courageous by remembering that our hope is eternity with God, so everything we do is to bring him all the glory, not for our selfish interests.
Christ told us, ‘In the world you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ So, what do you really have to fear?
Do what God is asking you to do now; don’t keep piling up excuses that you know are only limiting your relationship with Christ with your lack of trust that all will be well, even if it doesn’t turn out as planned. God’s plans are always better!
I know how difficult it is to take those leaps of faith, but God will equip you with all you need for this journey. Fixate your eyes on him and allow yourself to be led by the Spirit.
I’m praying for you to become that courageous soldier for God!
More Tips*
I leave you some helpful tools to help you with this new journey 🙂
- Make sure you are allow the Word of God to be your guide and nourish your heart with TRUTH. Here are some catholic bibles
- English Bibles:
- Ignatius Bible – https://amzn.to/4cgvSJQ
- NRSV Bible (Faux Leather) – https://amzn.to/4be5Jd7
- NRSV Bible (Paperback) – https://amzn.to/4cdqo2a
- NABRE Note Taking Bible – https://amzn.to/3KZAvMh
- NABRE Bible – https://amzn.to/45DgoNm
- NABRE Bible with Protective Case – https://amzn.to/3VUHufL
- ESV Catholic Bible in a Year – https://amzn.to/3KWp8oo
- The Great Adventure Bible – https://amzn.to/3VEP0Ko
- Word on Fire Bible (Only the Gospels) – https://amzn.to/3VurhfC
- Catechism of the Catholic Church: https://amzn.to/4cJVOgN
- Biblias Bilingues (Espanol-English):
- Holy Bible – https://amzn.to/4ezFMrq
- Biblia Latinoamerica Bilingue – https://amzn.to/3VF8qP0
- Biblias Catolicas:
- Biblia de America (Imagen de la Virgen de Guadalupe) – https://amzn.to/3VVXOg0
- La Biblia Latinoamerica (Letra Grande) – https://amzn.to/4cxXwBx
- Biblia Catolica de Apuntes – https://amzn.to/3KYJayk
- Biblia de Jerusalen – https://amzn.to/3VYdz6w
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great reference when learning scripture! Click here for the English version and here for the Spanish one.
- Pray the Rosary! Take a deep dive into meditation with scripture through the loving arms of Mary.
- P.S. This rosary Abacus is great for helping the little ones stay engaged 😉
- Click here to watch a video that talks more about being courageous!
*These links are affiliated, which means I make a small commission from purchases made with them at no additional cost to you! While this is a great way to support our mission, you are welcome to look for these recommendations in other stores.