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Courage and faith

Jonathan Skelton reflects on bold leaps, unexpected companionship, and the strength found in faith when stepping into the unknown

A few years ago, my courage and faith were truly put to the test when my family gave me a birthday gift: a full day of coasteering and white-water rafting in beautiful mid-Wales. What I didn’t know was that another family from our church had given the same experience to my friend, so he and I would be embarking on this adventure together.

A few months after receiving the gift, the day finally arrived. I felt a whirlwind of emotions that morning, ranging from excitement to immense trepidation. When we arrived and began putting on the required wetsuit and safety helmet, signing the disclaimer form(!), and listening to the briefing, my nerves really kicked in. Having done white-water rafting before, I thought about skipping coasteering and jumping straight to the afternoon activity. Why not stick to what I know instead of venturing into the unknown?

Despite these feelings, I decided to proceed, putting my courage and faith to the test. As I reflect on that experience, I vividly remember that the most difficult moment was the first leap into the bitterly cold water from the high cliff. After that the adrenaline kicked in.

What an adventure we had as we whizzed down rapids, zipped down ropes and slid through narrow rock gorges. The truth is, I would have missed out on so much that day if I had let my fears stop me. I am so glad that, in the end, I allowed my faith to speak louder than my fears.

The reality is that God has great adventures in store for each of us, and therefore we need to be people full of courage and faith. We must not let fear stand in our way or stop us. The words God spoke to Israel’s new leader in Joshua chapter one still resonate today: “Be strong and courageous. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and very courageous. As I was with Moses, so shall I be with you.” What a thought that is – the God who was with Abraham, Noah, Joshua, Moses, Gideon, Esther and Ruth is with us. We are not alone!

As a young man, I was deeply inspired by the story of Jim Elliot, a young American Christian missionary who sought to reach out to the Auca tribe, a small and fierce people in the jungle of Ecuador. Jim demonstrated incredible courage and faith as he and his missionary colleagues stepped into the unknown. He was guided by the conviction that ‘he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose’.

Jim was martyred by those he sought to reach, but God went on to accomplish a great work among that people group, largely through Jim’s wife, Elisabeth. The courage and faith of Jim Elliot inspired many people to obey the call and ‘go’.

And as I reflect on my adrenaline-fueled day, I was grateful to have a companion with me, but even more so, an experienced instructor and guide. Without them, my courage and faith would have been close to zero. Equally, I am glad we don’t navigate this life adventure alone. We do it with others alongside us, and more importantly, we follow Jesus, our ultimate guide.

He goes before us and we should heed the words of Hebrews 12:2: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

As we do this, we truly understand what it means for courage and faith to rise within us, enabling us to face life’s challenges head-on.


This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.

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