Captain Courageous — Adam’s Angle

Super heroes never get burned out. They leap tall buildings, rescue kittens and fight super villains — and then are ready for more.

But that’s not us. We don’t live in the world of comic books. We get burned out — not just in life but also in our Christian walk.

When we face trials, we can lose sight of our mission. A health or money problem hits us and we forget about our Muslim co-worker who needs to hear the gospel. Or a relative we’ve been trying to love hurts us, and we want to run for cover.

But when we lose heart, where do we find the courage to keep doing what God has called us to do? A fantasy-world superman might be fooled into thinking that courage comes from within. But the real-world truth is that courage comes from knowing God’s heart and His plans for you.

Trouble in Gotham

Timothy was in tears (2 Timothy 1:4).

Why was he crying? I don’t know. Whatever the reason, Paul was worried that he was in danger of burning out—of ditching the calling and gifting God had given him because of his loss of heart.

Paul urged him, “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). “Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me, His prisoner” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Timothy needed to get past discouragement before it capsized his calling. But where could he find the strength to go on?

Look! Up in the sky!

Fortunately for Timothy, Paul’s advice wasn’t “buck up,” but “look up.” Paul didn’t give him a tongue lashing and tell him to pull himself up by his bootstraps. He urged Timothy to lift his eyes up to see God’s sovereign plan.

Paul used his own life and circumstances as an example. Things weren’t too rosy for him, either. He was imprisoned, abandoned and suffering for the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8, 12, 15). Yet he boldly says, “I am not ashamed” (2 Timothy 1:12).

What was Paul’s secret? “I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Paul had courage to face his circumstances because he knew God had his back. Paul was confident that, whatever happened, his life was in God’s hands.

Paul understood that his salvation and calling were totally according to God’s purpose, not his own (2 Timothy 1:9). It’s no surprise that Paul understood his calling and gifting to be for the sake of the gospel. But what is more impressive is that he understood that even his trials were part of what he was called to: “I was appointed a herald, and an apostle and a teacher— that is why I am suffering as I am” (2 Timothy 1:12).

Because of this, Paul saw himself with the proper perspective: not as the prisoner of Caesar, but as the Lord’s prisoner (2 Timothy 1:8). Paul was no superman, but because he knew God’s heart and His plans for him, he could unashamedly invite Timothy to “Join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Up, Up and Away!

Are you on the brink? Laid off? Overwhelmed? Have you been tempted to let your God-given gifts and calling slip to the back burner because of the chaos all around?

Don’t get shut down; get stirred up. The God who saved you, gifted you and called you is the same One who has your life and circumstances in His hand.

— Adam Pivec