The Courage To Try Again

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”  ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

We’ve all been there. We’ve tried to step out and do something great and fallen flat on our face. We’ve all received that kind of beatdown sometime, somewhere. Not just your average beatdown, but, you know, the kind that makes you not want to “go there” again. Ever. Your heart will try to “help” you by protecting you, telling you something along the line of “stay out of the yard of the dog who bit you.”

Your heart is lying to you.

“What?”

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things…” ~ Jeremiah 17:9

Giving up on the plan of God because it didn’t work out so good last time – that’s the wrong answer. You will never win by giving up. Not ever. Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.

I’m usually not quite so black and white, but I can’t say this strong enough. Developing a habit of avoiding risk and avoiding pain is developing a habit of hiding. Hiding is bad. A life without risk is a life without adventure and growth. I’m sorry, but that just isn’t living.

What’s missing from this picture?

Courage. That’s what’s missing. Courage to try again.

Courage to believe that today is a different day.

Courage to believe that you are capable of hearing the voice of God leading you.

Courage.

Remember what God told Joshua when it was time to leave the desert and enter the land of promise:

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:8

When it was a different day, God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. When it was time to leave the desert, God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous.

I’ve got news for you. It’s time to leave the desert. It’s time for you to leave the desert. It’s time for you to leave the desert, be strong, courageous and try again. I’ll say it again. It’s time to try again. It’s time to try again and refuse to be defined by the pain of failure. It’s time to try again and be strong and courageous, hopeful for a good outcome.

It’s time to try again.

It’s time to try again.

It’s time to try again.

I hope these words stick to you today. I hope these words shout at you until you decide to quit hiding and try again. I hope these words make you angry enough to shake off the thing that makes you afraid of risking and doing something great.

It’s time to try again.