be BOLD
Boldness is an idea that feels all too regular in my prayer life. I find myself praying for boldness before big events, when I’m preparing to confront someone about something that hurt my feelings, or just generally throughout different seasons. Boldness is a trait that seems comes naturally to some people and not so easily to others, but when I spend time praying for boldness the Lord is quick to deliver.
Maybe you’re like me and you feel like you’ve gone through different seasons in life where boldness was easier and vice versa. I can remember a time in high school where a nerdy fellow (I mean this as a complement, he was EXTREMELY smart and everyone knew it) was getting humiliated in front of my entire 11th grade history class. I can’t exactly remember all the details, but when he was called to checkout, he dropped all his books and it was a whole thing. The second he left the class another guy was mimicking and belittling him and something came over me! I shot up from my desk and shut the whole thing down. I reminded the class that he was the smartest boy in our class and that it was rude of them to be making fun of him when he was such a kind and smart person. As silly as it sounds, it made everyone realize that they shouldn’t have been doing that and it set a new standard. After class, some classmates came up to me and thanked me for doing that because they wanted to say something but were nervous and lacked a boldness to do so. I can’t sit here and say that I have always shown this kind of boldness, but I can say that I couldn’t have manufactured this kind of boldness on my own. It comes from the confidence and courage that Christ provides.
Hear what Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 2:3-5,
“I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power.”
Paul shares his feelings of not being bold enough to be sharing the Gospel but then he remembers… it’s not of his own doing but the power of the Holy Spirit that provides wisdom and BOLDNESS to share and say the right things. Sometimes we aren’t sure when to stand up and be bold when we face the different challenges in life. Even Paul had doubts about his abilities. He might have been nervous about saying the wrong thing or not being able to get out what he intended to share. The Lord granted him with the wisdom, discernment, and boldness to rise up and share the Gospel. He can grant you the wisdom of the Spirit just like Paul, you just have to pray! Consider James 1:5,
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
The most wonderful thing about this? If you have a relationship with Jesus, that same Holy Spirit power lives in you. You can face your own challenges with the power, wisdom, and BOLDNESS that comes from God.
Things to consider:
Look- Have you ever had a time in your life where boldness came easier?
Practice- How can you practice boldness this week?
Pray- Have you prayed and asked God to reveal areas in your life where you need boldness? If not- take a second and do so!
Love you! Laurel