Day 13 – October 22, 2012 – 40-Day Spiritual Journey

YOUR BOLDEST MOMENTS
READ 2 Timothy 1: 7-8
REFLECT
If you've ever done a personality profile, it's enlightening.  If you're like me, you see things in it that make you wince (am I really like that?), and other things that reveal a gifting that God has given you.  A good personality profile will show you how to focus on what you are best at and limit your work in areas you are not particularly great at (I have a quite a few of them…).
The problem with understanding yourself well is that you can read verses like 2 Timothy 1: 7-8 and dismiss them.  God gave us a spirit of power? I doubt it.  I AM timid.  I'm not powerful.  Sometimes I'm not even quite ready to admit I'm a Christian.  And you might conclude, like many have, that verses encouraging us to be bold aren't for you.
Think again.
Ever ask someone out?  Ask someone to marry you?  Ask for a job?  Ask for forgiveness?  Stand up for a friend who was wrong?  Speak out because love demanded it?  You had to be bold, didn't you?
Of course you did.
In fact, if you look back over the course of your life, some of your boldest moments have been some of your best moments.  She said yes.  You apologized, and he forgave you.  You stood up for what was right, and wrong backed down.
 
BOTTOM LINE
Your boldest moments have been some of your best moments.
LIVE
In what areas of your life do you need to become more bold?  What ‘best moments' are you missing out on because you lack boldness?  If your prayers were bolder, what would change?  If you invited more boldly, who would come?  If you gave more boldly, what would be more possible?
PRAY
God, forgive me for being timid about the things that matter most.  Enable me to remember that on the other side of bold will come some of the best moments you've got planned for me and those around me.
Carey Nieuwhof