Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. (1 Chronicles 28:20 NLT)
It probably didn’t take you long to realize that life is full of bullies and intimidators. You’ve been pushed into roles you didn’t want, wounded in ways that skewed your heart and its desires, tempted, tried, beaten down, and possibly broken. Like most people, you’ve fought back and persevered. But you may or may not have found the “abundant life” Jesus talked about. You go through seasons of heaviness or even fear.
Be encouraged. Everyone in scripture who accomplished anything significant went through the same kinds of seasons. They experienced overwhelming opposition, and God’s word to them was straightforward: Do not fear. Be strong and courageous. Why? Because he knew a game-changing truth: he was with them.
Think about that. He’s the God who is bigger than any and all giants. No obstacle outweighs him, no enemy intimidates him, no circumstances remain unyielding in his presence. We worry about things. He doesn’t. He goes forward, and he calls us to come with him.
In every situation, God’s presence and his solutions turn apparent victims into victors—not automatically, but in the lives of those who persist in faith and courage. When we shift our perspective to align with his, his presence manifests more tangibly in our lives. Bullies, intimidators, and even the daily grind give way to him.
