Finding the Courage to Step Into Something New - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - August 22nd
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9
Clusters of balloons. Cupcakes from my favorite bakery. Last-minute selfies with my coworkers. Turning in my laptop and badge. With the last swipe at the time clock, I walked out of the building to my car. As I sat in the parking lot, I couldn't believe it — after 15 years, I was saying farewell to this chapter of my career.
Several weeks earlier, a recruiter reached out to me with details on a new opportunity. It was familiar yet different, all at once. I hesitated initially. A new environment, new people, new challenges. Starting over meant walking away from the reputation I’d built and the comfort with people who had become like family. But the way this opportunity presented itself, and the circumstances surrounding it, made it clear that God was inviting me beyond my comfort zone into something new. While not perfect, this new chapter felt, for a season, like exactly where I was supposed to be.
Then, a little over a year later, I found myself packing boxes from our home for the movers to load into the truck. Another job offer, this time for my husband, would take us south to a new state where we didn’t know anyone. As we headed south on Interstate 95, the anxiety of starting over felt all too familiar. Still, I knew God was calling us forward with Him. Despite the fear of the unknown and the risks of leaving everything familiar behind with no backup plan if things didn’t go as expected, I learned to find the courage to step into something new.
Throughout scripture, we see examples of the call to be courageous. One story in particular has always resonated with my heart. In Joshua Chapter 1, Moses has died, and a leadership role needs to be filled. Moses’ servant suddenly goes from being an assistant to being commissioned by God to lead the children of Israel into the promised land. The task at hand wouldn't be small. He would face giants and fortified cities in an unknown territory. Like you and me stepping into something new, Joshua likely had moments when he felt weak, inadequate, and afraid. Maybe he wanted to give up before the journey even began. But God, knowing his personal weakness and fear, told him—three times within the first nine verses—“…Be strong and very courageous.”
Finding the courage to step into something new is not the absence of fear but the reminder and steadfast trust of God’s presence with us as we move forward. It means stepping into a season you've never lived before. It's unfamiliar. Untested. You don't have a roadmap because this particular chapter of your life has never existed before—for you. But while it's new to you, it isn't new to God. Our omniscient, all-knowing Father has already seen every moment of it. Before you ever arrive there, He has already gone before you, faithfully orchestrating every detail of your life. Nothing about this new season catches Him by surprise.
Your "new" may look like learning the rhythms of a changing relationship or a diagnosis that reshapes what normal looks like. It may be becoming an empty nester after years of raising children. Perhaps it's finally saying yes to the business idea God has quietly been cultivating in your heart, even though the resources to make it happen aren’t all there yet. Maybe it’s moving to a new city where you don’t know a single person, trusting that the God who called you there will also meet you there. Whatever your "new" is, remember that courage is rarely a single decision. More often, it's the willingness to take the next faithful step, and then the next, and then the next. Every act of obedience becomes another opportunity to discover that God is exactly who He says He is.
Where is God inviting you to step into something new today? How does the assurance that He is with you—not just at the destination, but in every step—give you the courage to take the next step in faith?
Let's pray ...
Lord,
As You call me to step into a new season, help me not to focus on what I see, but to keep my eyes on You. When the fears seem loud, may Your voice of truth be louder, reminding me to be strong and courageous. Remind me that You are with me — that my courage isn't dependent on me, but on knowing that You are there. Thank You that You are with me every step of the way.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
What truth from today’s devotional is God using to encourage your heart? Share your reflection and join our conversation in the iBelieve Truth Devotional Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Matthias Cooper
Related Resource: How Faith Finds Us When Life Takes a Detour
Joining us this week is worship leader turned viral comedian Heather Land. After growing up in the shadow of her mother’s decades-long addiction, Heather reflects on how this painful season—alongside her unexpected shift from the worship stage to the world of comedy—taught her that while our paths may take unforeseen turns, our core calling to encourage and uplift others remains constant.
Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Rachel Kessler, an Episcopal priest and Kenyon College chaplain who completed her PhD in medieval studies at the University of Toronto before pivoting to seminary after hitting academic burnout, then built a following as the “Nerdy Priest” on TikTok after a student secretly downloaded the app on her phone.
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