Finding The Courage

  
I am more than half way through my fasting experience. What would seem like a really scary and difficult task has not really been all that bad. Much easier than I thought. 

 I think a lot is due to having the right perspective and mindset going in. I wanted this to be about God revealing some transforming truths in His word for me. I wanted to crucify my flesh and live in the Spirit. I wanted to not mourn what I gave up and instead be excited with the wisdom and knowledge I would gain.

 I never imagined how wonderful this could be.  

Of all the things I gave up, I gained so much more. Some revelations have been life changing, some have been AHA (a holy answer) moments, and some have been encouragement for me to keep pressing on.  

As I am no longer turning to food to fill or stuff an emotional void it is not intended to and instead using food for just nutrition, I am finding many things about myself that have seemed hidden, start to emerge.  

Today’s Life Recovery notes on my verse talk about finding the courage. 

I started to think about the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz that was in search of courage and traveled the yellow brick road to Oz, but only to realize he really had it all along. The lion had let fear crowd his courage out.  

Courage, for me too, was like the Lion, I thought I didn’t have very much, but realized, I had it all along but fear had been crowding out my courage.

What God has been showing me is that when I tune into the Spirit over my flesh, then I will find not only the Courage, but a whole lot more things, I only thought I lacked.  
Like:  
The courage to speak up when I need to

The courage to deny my flesh

The courage in asking God for bolder and bigger prayers

The courage to let go of control 

The courage to surrender my will and my emotions fully to God 

The courage to rest in His perfect peace

The courage to try new things

The courage to love others more 

The courage to take even the slightest resentment or hurt to Him first

The courage to forgive fully 

The courage to accept instead of expect 

The courage to listen more 

The courage to speak less 

The courage to realize my worth is in God and not in my own abilities

Lord, thank You for chiseling away at all the junk to reveal the facets of the diamond You are mining instead of just revealing and leaving the flaws. Your love, mercy, and grace make it all possible. Thank You for restoration and recovery and most of all salvation. Thank You for avenging me and others who are hurting and bound by secrets, sins, or struggles. Thank You for Your many promises in Your Word and the Power of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You came to set the captives free and to give us a hope and a future.  
                       ~XXOO Michelle Bollom 

But as for Judah, it will always be full of people.Eternal One: Jerusalem, too, will endure for generations to come. I will avenge those who were hurt, enslaved, exiled, and killed;I will not let the guilty go free.For the Eternal One lives in Zion. ~ Joel 3:20-21 The VOICE 

God has a good future planned for all who trust in Him. Restoration and recovery will be complete; salvation will be forever. With this hope for the future, we can find the courage we need to persevere through our problems today. Since the final goal of our recovery process is assured, we need not fear the dark days still ahead. ~Life Recovery Bible