5 Ways to Move Forward with Courage When God Leads You

1. Focus on God’s unlimited power instead of your own limited abilities.

When God calls you, you might think of all sorts of reasons that you don’t feel able to do whatever it is that God is leading you to do. Maybe you’re concerned that you’re smart enough to figure it all out, or that you don’t have enough time to do everything well. But you don’t need to worry about what you can do by yourself, because you won’t be by yourself – God will be with you, helping you. God promises you in Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Whether God directs you to do something just once (like have a difficult yet important conversation with a friend or family member, or show up to serve at a community event) or something that requires a longer commitment (like teaching a Sunday school class, or using your talents to take on a new project at work), God will help you do so. After God told Moses to go speak to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of slavery, but Moses protested. He says to God in Exodus 4:10: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”

God’s response was not to deny Moses’ concerns, but to remind him of his own presence and power. God says in Exodus 4:11-12: “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” God also helped the Apostle Paul with his incredible mission work. Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”

Paul also describes how God’s strength helps overcome any weaknesses. He writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that God “… said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” When fear creeps in and tells you that you’re not good enough, remember that all you have to do is say “yes” and trust that God will help you do whatever he has called you to do.

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2. Just take the first small step forward.

Fear can paralyze you if you look at the entire mountain God wants you to climb. For example, if you’re called to start a new Bible study, you may stop proceeding when you think about a long time of planning the study, promoting it, and teaching it for many different sessions. Or, if you’re called to forgive someone who has hurt you a lot, you may be afraid to do so because you’re worried about many awkward conversations and potentially more pain. Whatever God calls you to do may feel overwhelming because it seems too risky. But you don’t have to worry about taking all the steps right away.

God will rarely map out the entire plan all at once. Instead, God serves as your personal guide, helping step by step. All you need to do is just take the first small step forward, and then the next one, and the next, etc. The Bible points out in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we live by believing and not by seeing.” Joshua chapter 3 describes how the Israelites approached the Jordan River while it was at flood stage, but rather than worry about that, they trusted God to help them reach the Promised Land. So, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant walked right up to the riverbank that could flood at any time and let their feet get wet.

Joshua 3:15-16 records that only “as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water... was cut off.” Their act of faith by stepping forward activated God’s miracle! Maybe the first small step God wants you to take is simply drafting an email, making an initial phone call, or signing up for something. By taking that faithful step, you can show God you’re serious about following him, and create wonderful momentum to keep making progress.

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3. Seek wisdom and accountability from believers you trust.

You need God’s wisdom to move forward well, especially when the decisions you face can significantly affect your future. Often, God will help you find his wisdom by talking with other believers whom you can trust to pray along with you and seek God’s best for you. So, when you sense that God is calling you to make a major decision (such as a new long-term service commitment), don’t make it in isolation, since your personal perspective is limited. Instead, follow the advice in Proverbs 19:20: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” Why? Proverbs 15:22 says: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Talk to a mature Christian friend or family member, your pastor, your small group leader, or another trustworthy believer who will give you an honest and faithful perspective. Share what you sense God is saying, explain the fears you’re facing, and ask the person to pray for you and speak truth into your situation. He or she can help you discern if the leading is truly from God and give you encouragement and accountability if you decide to move forward.

Having someone you trust to pray with and report back to is a powerful way to keep you moving forward and making good progress. When you’re tempted to pull back because of fear, a trustworthy believer can lovingly challenge you to keep moving forward. 

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4. Remember how God has been faithful to you in the past.

When you’re facing a challenging call from God, your mind might spiral into worrying about all sorts of “what if” scenarios about what might go wrong if you move forward. You can stop worrying by reminding yourself of how God has been faithful to you in many other situations already. Since God has been faithful in the past, he isn’t suddenly going to abandon you now.

Lamentations 3:22-23 describes God’s faithfulness: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Think back to a time when you were in an especially challenging situation, and God made a way forward that you couldn’t have imagined. Thank God again for what he did then, and let the memory of that inspire you to trust God to help you now. Psalm 143:5 describes meditating on what God has already done: “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.”

Your personal story of how God has answered your prayers in the past can help you move forward right now, despite the fear you feel.  Numbers 23:19 assures you that God is completely worthy of your trust: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” If God was faithful to you yesterday, he is faithful to you today, and he will be faithful tomorrow.

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5. Remember your purpose.

Ultimately, the courage to follow God’s leading comes from remembering why you’re inspired to do so. If your purpose is to gain recognition, earn praise from people, or achieve success by the world’s shifting standards, then you’ll be stopped by a fear of failure because the stakes are too high for you. But if you want to fulfill God’s purpose for your life, you’ll be able to overcome feeling afraid and move forward with everything God calls you to do.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says to seek God’s kingdom first in your life, and then you’ll receive everything else you need from God. When you choose to move forward with courage when God leads you, you can rely on God to help you with everything you need along the way, because God is committed to empowering you when you’re trying to fulfill his purposes. Romans 8:28 promises you that God will use every situation you face – including the most challenging situations – to accomplish good purposes: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

When you choose to say “yes” to whatever it is that God is calling you to do, you’re telling God that fulfilling his purposes for you is more important than staying in your comfort zone. God will bless you by giving you the courage you need to move forward well. Isaiah 55:12 assures you that God “will go before you” as well, working out everything you need before you even arrive in your future. So, you can be confident that God will take care of all your needs so you can fulfill your purpose. 

In conclusion, the path God leads you on is rarely the easy one, but it’s always the best one. Don’t let fear stop you from moving forward when God leads you to do something. Choose to focus on God instead of on your challenges, and walk step-by-step with God into what he is leading you to do. You’ll discover many blessings along the way!

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