How to Find the Bravery to Accomplish What God is Calling You to Do

A few years ago, God wouldn’t leave me alone about writing a book. I tried to ignore Him, but He stayed on my heels like my young boys do when they want me to pick up donuts on a Saturday morning.

New to writing at the time, I was too scared to write. I was overwhelmed by all I didn’t know about getting published. I worried people might reject me and my book. I gave God excuse and after excuse because I was too scared to be brave. 

Maybe like me, God has given you an assignment you’ve put it off because you’re overwhelmed by the idea of the job. Maybe you see other people who are more qualified, more charismatic, have more time, and appear more gifted than you. So, you’re sitting on the sidelines waiting for God to call someone else into the game He’s prepared for you to play.  

What is God asking you to do right now that will require you to be brave?

In the first chapter and a half of Exodus, God prepared for the most significant theatrical performance in the history of the Hebrew people—for millions of oppressed Hebrew slaves to walk out of Egypt into freedom. God assigned Moses to lead them out, but He used women to set the stage. Not just one woman, five. 

Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, convinced himself that if the Hebrew population grew too large, they would gather together with Pharaoh’s enemies and overtake his country. His plan? Kill the Hebrew boy babies and cut off their population for good. However, God’s women were rising from their bench on the sidelines and stepping onto the field to fight.  

God didn’t give these women easy, “girly” tasks. Because if God gave us easy tasks, we would have already done it and taken a lot of credit. But God wants the glory, so He asks us to do things that require us to be brave, just like He did with these women.   

Enter Shiphrah and Puah. These two head, Hebrew midwives refused to obey Pharaoh’s command to kill all baby boys when they were born and instead, let them live (Exodus 1:15-17).

So, Pharaoh ordered all Hebrew boy babies thrown into the Nile river. God then called Jochebed, Moses’ mother (Exodus 2:2) to risk her life to spare her son. She placed him inside a homemade waterproof basket, and hid him among the reeds of the Nile (Exodus 2:3). 

Next, we meet Pharoah’s daughter, Hatshepsut. She felt sorry for baby Moses when she found him crying inside the basket and wanted to take him as her own son. Although she worshiped idols and didn’t risk anything to be brave for God, He used her anyway. God will use women who love Him and women who don’t to accomplish His purposes.  

Finally, we meet Moses’ sister, Miriam. Miriam courageously brought Jochebed to Hatshepsut, who commanded this mother, to nurse her own son and even paid her to do so (Exodus 2:9). 

Moses was spared because women were brave and obedient. Many years later, God’s plan was fulfilled and Moses led the Lord’s people out of slavery. 

God chose to use women five times in a few short verses. Whenever we see repetition in Scripture, He is making a point. His point was He will ask women to step out and perform tasks beyond them for the furthering of His purposes. The tasks may require us to risk our lives or reputation, but God believes women are essential for the fame of His name to be known.

Do you know God is asking you to do something brave, but the bench feels safer? Do you watch others play hard on the field, but find good company with other scared souls on the sidelines?  

Imagine if you said, “yes,” and got in the game. Imagine how God could use you, your gifts, and your obedience to win. 

What are you waiting on? For the assignment to get easier? It’s time to see where we do our best work for God is not in the stands or talking about what needs to be done. It’s time to be on the field, in the thick of the spiritual battle, fighting to win. 

May we rise up and say, “Use me God, as a woman, for Your glory. Whatever it takes. No more excuses. As a result, may my bravery make You wildly famous. I may be little among men, but I am fierce for Your fame!”

Lisa Lloyd is a charismatic actress, speaker and writer, dedicated to helping women break free of the lies that convince us we don’t have a purpose, when in fact God has created us to herald His fame. She is the author of the new book, Chasing Famous.

Keep up with Lisa Lloyd’s speaking schedule, read her blog, and more by visiting www.lisalloyd.org, following her on Facebook(LisaJLloyd), or via Twitter(@LisaJLloyd).

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