“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Growing up shy, but with God-given leadership gifts, I always felt like I couldn’t be myself. I was stuck in a cage of fear and insecurity, and I knew that wasn’t who God had called me to be. Somewhere along the line, someone said that we could use the Word of God to change us from the inside out, and encouraged me to start speaking it, out loud, over my life. So, I dug in.
What I mean by “dug in”:
Write the scripture down.
Write down what speaks to you about it
Look up definitions of anything that doesn’t make sense.
Read the rest of the passage, before and after the verse.
Who was the writer talking to? What was the culture like at that time?
Is there anywhere else in the Bible that talks about this subject?
Pray about what God is speaking to you through this verse. What is God saying?
After I really got the meaning of the verse down, I could repeat it over and over to myself. I would say it out loud, or as an anthem in my head inspiring me to do things I wouldn’t normally do, out of fear. I would write them on little pieces of paper and hang them on my mirror, where I could see them every day.
Over time, these verses saved me. Changed me. Inspired me. That’s the power of the Word of God.
For me, I had to pursue boldness. Maybe for you it’s something else entirely.
This week, read:
Why do you think the godly are as bold as lions? What makes them this way?
This chapter has a lot to say, which verse spoke to you the most?
How does God give a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline?
How can you pass on genuine faith to your children and grandchildren?
Why does God promise to not abandon Joshua? Do you think that’s a promise we can still hold onto today?