What kinds of things cause you to become discouraged?
The past twenty-four hours have been eventful.
Hurricane Isaac made landfall and stalled over New Orleans, dumping buckets of rain on the anniversary of Katrina. I wrote a post over at Rich’s Ride blog expressing concerns for the folks we met in that area last fall. I received a nice note from a lady named Joan in Rolling Fork. They’ve battled drought all summer, now rain threatens to destroy the remaining crops.
Then the web site got hacked.
I watched the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games online. I watched online because NBC apparently doesn’t find these games worthy of broadcast television. We’re all excited about supporting our injured veterans, but let a bunch of them become elite athletes and I guess TV execs believe we’re more interested in pre-season football.
President Obama spent Tuesday night in Fort Collins. For a small town, that’s a big deal, a lot of disruption and a bunch of angry, divisive rhetoric.
The Republican Convention’s happening in Tampa. Unless you live in a cave that means even more angry, divisive rhetoric.
I sit here staring at my keyboard, and I feel discouraged. If courage is the ability to face fear and move forward, then “discourage” is the loss of that ability. And I guess that’s how I feel right now.
But I know it’s dangerous to allow feelings to govern actions. I believe in hope, and I believe hope changes what’s possible. I can feel a lack of courage, a lack of the ability to face fear, but that feeling is a lie.
So this morning I’ll do a training ride, whether I feel like it or not. I’ll do my best to turn down the political rhetoric. I’ll support Matt Updike and Paul Schulte and other Paralympian friends. I’ll pray for folks impacted by Hurricane Isaac. I’ll cling to hope, even when I don’t feel hopeful.
I know what I need. I need to hear Jesus say that new word:
TAKECOURAGEIAMDON’TBEAFRAID
It’s okay to feel afraid. Jesus said I can face the fear and move forward.
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