Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a glorious and great reward. Hebrews 10:35

Your worldview is the lens through which you perceive life. As a Christian, you may notice that many people around you have different perspectives. Not everyone will share your beliefs, and some might even challenge them.

How do you find the courage to stand strong in difficult times? Pastor Rick Warren, a renowned author and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, suggests you do two things:

First, accept God’s Word as your authority. 

It’s the only source of truth! To be a woman or man of courage, you need to build your life on the Rock that never changes, not on popular opinion. Hebrews 6:18 says, “God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us” (NLT).

You will build your life on one of two things: the world’s opinion or God’s Word. When you build your life on God’s Word, you won’t waste your time worrying about what other people think. I say things all the time that are unpopular. Why? Because I fear displeasing God more than I fear someone’s rejection.

If you don’t know what you believe, a great place to start is by exploring the Bible and getting to know it for yourself. Your local church is a great resource and can give you the tools you need to grow closer to God through his Word.

Second, spend time with Jesus.

The more time you spend with Jesus, the more confident you’ll be to stand up to any opinions that contradict God’s Word. Spending time with Jesus fills you with the courage to stand for the truth even when it’s hard.

This was true for Jesus’ followers in the Bible: “The leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak, and they understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 NCV).

The reward of standing courageously for the truth will last forever! It might be unpopular and is rarely easy, but when you accept God’s Word as your authority and spend time with Jesus, you’ll develop an uncommon courage you never thought possible. 

Courage is the unwillingness to relent in the face of fear. The prefix en means to make, cause, or create. So, when we encourage someone, we are helping them to find the courage that life takes.