Courage......

This seems to be something I am lacking right now. COURAGE! I just came across this quote from President Monson today on FB. 

“Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.... May we muster courage for the conflicts, courage to say no, courage to say yes, for courage counts.” ~Thomas S Monson

Very strong quote...Do we have the courage to stand up for what we believe, who we are as a person? I think that I don't have that courage right now. It is there, but to actually use it, and face my fears, nope. I guess that in some way I am a coward. I can't seem to face my fears. Let me tell you there is a lot of them. It seems like they keep reappearing to me...and break me down. How do you stand up to those fears. Have the courage to do what is right no matter what. Sometimes it is easier to take the easy road. Especially for me right now. I don't always want to know what will happen. I don't always want to know what someone might say. Or if I come out and say the things I need to will I lose the people in my life that I love having in my life. But I guess if I do, then they aren't meant to be in my life. This is a real struggle with me. 

I know that the courage that President Monson is talking about is to stand up for what is it right. And that is a struggle for me also. I tend to be quiet, and I shouldn't. But I think that it goes for any struggle in your life. We all face struggles that we don't always have the courage to face. Like I said if I do something about it, I am afraid to lose the friendship. Or if I don't do anything about it then I will always wonder what if I had said something. Do I have the courage? Nope I still don't.

We will all face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us—all of us—have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval.Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully but also as the determination to live decently. As we move forward, striving to live as we should, we will surely receive help from the Lord and can find comfort in His words. I love His promise recorded in the book of Joshua:

“I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. …

Why is this such a hard thing to have faith in. That the Lord is always there for you! That he will always be there for us. He may not always give a us what we want but he will do what it right for us.

It comes down to having faith and courage. 

You cannot be truthful if you are not courageous.
You cannot be loving if you are not courageous.
You cannot be trusting if you are not courageous.
You cannot enter into reality if you are not courageous.
Hence courage comes first... and everything else follows.”
                   
Osho, 1931-1990Indian Spiritual Teacher

                                                                    "Come to the edge."
                                                                 "We can't. We're afraid."

"Come to the edge."

"We can't. We will fall!"

"Come to the edge."

And they came.

And he pushed them.

And they flew.

Guillaume Apollinaire

French Poet and Philosophe

Lets have that courage to be able to be truthful, loving, trusting, and have reality in our lives.