Lyrics
Worry seems to know my every move;
With every new imagining
He whispers in my ear.
Even when I’ve nothing left to prove,
He’s painting possibilities
Of failure and despair.
So God, I’ll stand with open hands
And heart just fixed on following.
I’ll keep my eyes on this day’s prize
Of finding You in everything.
Courage to take one step at a time;
Today is my gift, not tomorrow.
Courage to walk with Christ in my sight
The path strewn with laughter and sorrow.
Wonder if I’m ever really here;
Retreating to the fantasies
Of what my life could be.
Captive to the highwayman of fear,
He’s robbing me of everything
That’s right in front of me.
I’ll learn to see what’s given to me
And cherish every part of it;
My all I’ll give to those I’m with,
And act with grace and honesty.
Let me hear the child that cries within,
The wounds that weep with bitterness
Of innocence betrayed.
Help me own the hurt behind the sin;
Let healing and forgiveness flow
Like cool refreshing rain.
So with each day I’ll choose to say
The past won’t have a hold on me.
Through loss and pain my hope remains
The power of Christ at work in me.
The story behind this song
‘Courage’ is more of a performance song than a congregational one, and charts my own personal journey of learning to really live in the moment. I find it very easy to become preoccupied with my future plans, hopes and dreams, or to spend most of my time mulling over past successes and failures, both of which can deprive me of fully living in the present. I’m learning to become much more aware of each moment that is given to me, more aware of those around me, more aware of the world and the place I am in, and to fully engage with the present experiences and people God has given me. A preoccupation with the past, the future or, in fact, the ‘to dos’ of the present, can also dull me to what is going on inside, and the pains and stresses that I feel, whereas engaging with these feelings enables me to turn to Christ in that moment for comfort and strength to face the day. That engagement takes courage, but there is a God-given courage above all others, a courage Christ lived out fully and to the point of death, that is available to all of us at all times. That doesn’t make the path ahead easy, and it doesn’t make the present perfect, but it does mean we can walk forward, with Christ by our side and with Christ as our goal.