How Do You Build Courage?

What does courage actually look like?

In this episode, Jonathan and David explore what courage looks like in everyday life and argue that courage isn't the absence of fear. It's the willingness to do what is right despite fear, discomfort, doubt, laziness, or uncertainty. Courage is accepting responsibility for what God has placed in front of you, even when you know it will cost you something.

The conversation begins with a few very different stories of courage, from Jonathan confronting a mysterious intruder in his home (which turns out to be a helium balloon) to David crawling through a muddy obstacle course underneath electrified wires. While the stories are entertaining, they point toward something much deeper: courage grows when we deliberately put ourselves in situations where we have to push through discomfort.

The episode also explores the connection between physical hardship and mental fortitude. When we consistently avoid discomfort, we shouldn't be surprised when we're unprepared to face significant challenges. If we want young people to resist temptation and stand firm when life becomes difficult, we have to give them opportunities to practice doing hard things. We can't expect people to suddenly demonstrate extraordinary courage when they've never trained for it.

Community plays an important role in that training as well. Courage becomes easier when you're surrounded by people who are willing to do hard things alongside you. Other people can encourage you, challenge you, remind you that you're capable of more, and help you push through moments when you don't feel like you have enough courage on your own.

Ultimately, courage isn't something you suddenly discover when the moment arrives.

It's something you build ahead of time.

Keep doing the hard things.

Keep seeking opportunities to grow.

Keep building the courage muscle.

As always,

Be Unbound

Learn more about Unbound: https://beunbound.us/

Hosts: Jonathan Brush, David Rethemeyer

Producer: Tamma Phillips