"Courage and Clarity" | February 8, 2026 | Ps Joel Lowery

There's something powerful about standing at the edge of something new. That moment when you know God is calling you forward, but the path ahead isn't entirely clear. Your heart races. Your mind calculates risks. And somewhere deep inside, you hear a whisper: "Be strong and courageous."

This isn't just about mustering up bravery or psyching yourself up with positive thinking. It's about something far more profound - something that transforms not just what we do, but who we become.

The River's Edge

Picture Joshua standing at the Jordan River. Behind him, a wilderness of wandering. Ahead, a promise waiting to be claimed. Moses, the great leader, is gone. The responsibility now rests on Joshua's shoulders. And God speaks to him with words that would echo through generations: "Be strong and courageous, for I will be with you."

But notice what God doesn't say. He doesn't give Joshua a detailed strategic plan. He doesn't outline the next five years. He doesn't explain exactly how the river will part or how 31 kings will be defeated. He simply says: Cross the river. I'll be with you.

This is where most of us get stuck, isn't it? We want the full blueprint before we take the first step. We want guarantees. We want to see the entire staircase before we lift our foot. But that's not how faith works. That's not how courage is formed.

The Heart of Courage

The word "courage" comes from the Latin "cor," which means heart. To have courage literally means to be full of heart - to have heartness. When God tells Joshua to "be strong and courageous," He's essentially saying, "Take heart. Be full of heart."

This is a game-changer. Courage isn't about being fearless. It's about being full - full of faith, full of trust, full of God's presence. It's the opposite of being discouraged, which means to lose heart.

Think about the areas in your life where you've lost heart. Maybe it's a relationship that's disappointed you. A dream that didn't pan out the way you expected. A calling that's been harder than you imagined. A city or community that seems resistant to change. When we lose heart, we lose courage. We retreat to safety. We protect what we have rather than risk for what could be.

But what if God is inviting us to something different? What if He's calling us to be full of heart again?

Presence Over Pressure

Here's what makes divine courage different from human bravery: it's rooted in presence, not pressure.

When the Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan, they didn't rely on military strategy or human strength. They followed the Ark of the Covenant - the symbol of God's presence. The ark went first. The presence led. The people followed.

This is critical. A courageous life isn't about striving to accomplish great things for God. It's about aligning ourselves with where God is already moving. It's not about forcing outcomes or proving ourselves. It's about staying close to His presence and moving when He moves.

Jesus said it this way: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

Presence first. Purpose flows from that.

One Step at a Time

The priests carrying the ark had to step into the water before it parted. Read that again. They had to step into the water - into the uncertainty, into the risk - before God made the way clear.

The Jordan River was at flood stage. The water was overflowing its banks. This wasn't a gentle stream you could wade across. This was a raging river that represented both the barrier to God's promise and the judgment of the past generation's faithlessness.

And God said: Step in.

One foot. Then another. Small steps of obedience. Not giant leaps of heroic faith, but simple, intentional steps forward.

This is how courage is formed - not in one dramatic moment, but in daily obedience. It's serving when it feels stretching. It's giving when trust feels costly. It's inviting someone when you feel unsure. It's not quitting when things get hard.

Every step the Israelites took, they watched the wall of water held back upstream. Every step rewired how they saw God. He was no longer just the God of judgment they'd heard about from their parents' generation. He was becoming the God of promise, the God who makes a way, the God who keeps His word.

Building Memorials

After they crossed, God told them to build a memorial - twelve stones taken from the riverbed, stacked as a reminder. Why? Because courage requires remembering.

When the next challenge comes - and it will - you need to remember the faithfulness of God. Remember when He made a way before. Remember when you thought you wouldn't make it, but you did. Remember when the diagnosis came, when the relationship ended, when the money ran out, when hope seemed lost - and yet God showed up.

Memorials aren't for God. He doesn't need reminders. They're for us. They anchor our courage for the next step, the next battle, the next river to cross.

The Cost of Waiting for Safety

Here's the sobering truth: If the Israelites had waited until the river dried up and it was completely safe, they would have never crossed. If they waited until everything was perfect, they'd still be wandering the wilderness.

Safety is seductive. Comfort is convincing. But they're also the enemies of the life God calls us to.

This doesn't mean being reckless. It means being responsive. It means understanding that God's best for you will never be laid out on a silver platter with every detail explained. You'll get a mile of vision for a ten-mile journey. And that mile is enough if you're walking in His presence.

Surrender, Not Striving

At its core, courage isn't about making big decisions or accomplishing impressive things. Courage is the fruit of surrender.

Joshua didn't become courageous because he chased bravery. He became courageous because he surrendered to God's leading, one step at a time. Each small step of obedience led to a bigger one. Crossing the river led to circumcision (ouch). That led to Jericho. That led to 31 defeated kings. That led to the promised land possessed.

But it all started with surrender. With saying, "God, I trust You even when I can't see what's next. I'll take the step You're calling me to."

Your River's Edge

So where is your river's edge? What is God calling you to that requires courage you don't have on your own? What would it look like to be full of heart again in that area?

Maybe your heart has run dry from disappointment, fatigue, or fear. Maybe you've played it safe for so long that you've forgotten what it feels like to trust God with something that truly matters.

The invitation today is simple: Surrender. Position yourself to receive. Take the step God is calling you to, even if you can't see the entire path.

Because here's the promise: As soon as your feet touch the water, God will make a way. He always has. He always will.

Be strong. Take heart. Be full of heart.

The river is waiting.