True Courage (David C. Cook, 2011)
Author Steve Farrar bases this book on the Biblical Book of Daniel, specifically the true courage Daniel displayed in every criswis he faced. The bedrock of Daniel’s true courage was that he knew God rather than merely of His existence.
True Courage has two unique traits: (1) it enables you to relax because you know He is God and (2) it is counter-intuitive, equipping you to move forward trusting in God even though worldly circumstances and opinions would seem to dictate a quite different response.
This counterintuitive trait in turn has three aspects: humility- understanding that some answers are beyond our finite human comprehension; trust- we are forced into placing our trust in God as He weans us from our comfort zones (especially difficult to do when income is affected); and hope- letting go of our adverse situation and completely putting our hope in God.
The author states that establishing true courage is difficult due to our rebellious, sinful nature. We have a marked tendency to learn things the hard way. As C. S. Lewis observed in Mere Christianity, pride is at the heart of our rebellion and is the great sin: “Pride leads to every other vice; it is the complete anti-God state of mind…. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”
Since Jesus already has taken the hard way for us, Steve Farrar postulates three better ways to establish true courage: being teachable- this is a “heart” matter where we pay close attention to God’s Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit; repentance; and obedience- calling on Jesus to teach us rather than taking it upon ourselves to resolve to live a moral life.
