A Prayer for Courage to Step into a New Opportunity - Your Daily Prayer - March 2

A Prayer for Courage to Step into a New Opportunity
By: Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9, NIV

Listen or Read Below:

When you stand at the edge of a new opportunity – like a new job or a new volunteer role – it’s natural to feel both excitement and fear. Even though the new opportunity God has given you is a blessing, you still face the fear of the unknown. What will happen if you take this opportunity? Only God knows. But God wouldn’t have brought you this opportunity unless he had a plan for helping you succeed with it. 

God encourages you in Joshua 1:9 to move forward when he commands you to: “Be strong and courageous.” 

You might think courage means not being afraid at all. But true courage involves taking action even when you feel afraid. God is calling you to step into this new opportunity despite feeling afraid. Even though the new opportunity God has brought into your life is intimidating, God will give you the strength and courage you need to succeed with it. 

You can be strong by trusting that the talents, skills, and wisdom you already have are gifts from God, and that God will help you with whatever you need as you move forward. It’s important to stop focusing on your weaknesses and start focusing on your God-given strengths. 

You can be courageous by moving forward despite the fear you feel, with the confidence that God will help you overcome any challenges you’ll face. God commands you in this verse not to let either fear or discouragement top you. Fear causes you to worry about what might happen, while discouragement causes you to worry that what actually does happen is too hard to overcome. God addresses both challenges. He knows that in any new adventure, you’ll have obstacles to face. God doesn’t say the journey will be easy. Instead, he gives you permission to recognize the fear but forbids you from letting it control you. He commands you to press on through the times when you feel like quitting. God wants you to see the obstacles ahead as places where you can rely on his help – places where he plans to prove his faithfulness in your life. 

The last part of the verse tells you why you can do everything God commands you to do: “For the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” It’s because of God’s constant presence with you that you can be strong and courageous. God doesn’t just tell you to be strong and courageous and then send you out alone. He promises to be with you wherever you go. That’s why you can move forward with confidence. God, your all-powerful Creator, will walk with you into this new opportunity. 

So, look for God’s presence with you and connect with him. The more you do, the more you can trust that God will be right there with you as you step into your new opportunity. You’ll have God’s guidance when you don’t know the next step to take. You’ll have God’s peace when you’re dealing with stress. You’ll also have God’s help to meet any needs that come up along the way. God will empower you to be strong and courageous as you just trust him and rely on him to do so, day by day. 

Today, take God’s commands in Joshua 1:9 personally. God tells you to be strong and courageous, and he will help you obey that command as you walk closely with him into your new opportunity. God commands you not to let fear or discouragement stop you from moving forward. You have God’s promise to be with you, every step of the way. Allow this promise to overcome the fear you feel, and let it fuel your determination to step into the new opportunity ahead of you while looking forward to what God will make possible! 

Let’s Pray: 

Dear God, I confess that I feel both excited and overwhelmed by the new opportunity before me. The fear of not knowing how everything will turn out is on my mind. The discouragement I feel when I think about my weaknesses is causing me to hesitate, as well. Honestly, I’m worried about moving forward. But I know this opportunity is a blessing from you, and I know I can trust you to help me with whatever I need.

So, I choose to obey your command in Joshua 1:9. I will be strong and courageous. I will step into this new opportunity with gratitude that you’re walking right beside me with every step I take. Thank you that your presence is with me wherever I go. Please help me overcome fear and discouragement so I can keep making the progress you want me to make. Please guide me and give me everything I need to move forward in faith.

Thank you, my mighty God. Amen.

Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/peshkov 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

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