When young adults realize that life isn’t without conflict, hardship, and pain, they face a crucial moment in deciding how to respond to strife. It is human instinct to want to protect ourselves, but how we armor up will determine the path we will travel.
I faced hardship and trauma as a child, so by the time I was a young adult, I had already learned how to build walls and be guarded. But the enemy knows how to infiltrate man-made walls. Our attempts to protect our hearts from more pain are futile, and we live as victims. We behave cowardly, trusting in our way of doing things.
After years of hitting the proverbial wall over and over, I came to a point where I had to decide to be brave.
In my naivety, I had thought it was brave to build the walls, put on my war paint, and speak with a roar. I wanted those who would mistreat me to know I was onto them. I didn’t trust them or anyone. I pushed people away – even family. I felt I was the only one who was looking out for me.
I spouted off the same speech I hear women today giving, “I am taking care of me now,” “I am not anyone’s doormat,” “You can’t break my walls,” and “I am stronger than you think.” I didn’t realize how scared all that sounded, and that only attracted more of the same type of people who prey on women.
Self-seeking people who take advantage look for a person they can isolate, who doesn’t have a strong support system – who wears the label “VICTIM.”
The moment I put on the FULL armor of God, became secure in His love for me, and told Him I wanted to do things His way, I became BRAVE.
It’s easy to be like everyone else and do what they do, but it takes courage to take your role in life and be the person God created you to be. Especially when the enemy singles you out, telling you that you can’t. The enemy will help you heap more heavy stones to build the wall thicker around your heart until you think it’s impenetrable.
My life used to be full of drama – it was always one thing after another. And I would even say, “I don’t do drama,” yet because of who I was around or the things I allowed in my life, drama always found me.
It was when I took my role as a daughter of the King, believing His love for me, believing His way is best, that I became a brave woman who let God remove from my life what didn’t belong.
At first, I was unfamiliar with setting boundaries. I was taught to be kind, yet people had taken advantage of my kindness. I learned that I could be kind and still say no. I could stay out of places a daughter of the King would not go, and I could let God remove those from my life who did not respect me or my faith. And I saw the wolves cowering before my very eyes!
Those who would typically prey on me saw my intense love and obedience to the Lord. They saw my confidence. They saw my strength, army of angels, supportive family, and Christian friends and knew I was not an easy target anymore. Witnessing this change gave me even more confidence. I had been afraid of people calling me the B-word, saying I was mean or thought I was better than them. But I told the Lord it wasn’t about me anymore. It was about Him. And that made the difference.
I didn’t worry about what people would say or think. My only concern was pleasing the Lord. God would either show them the truth, or He would remove them from my life – and that was okay.
Since that pivotal time, my life has been drama-free. There will still be hardships and pain because I still live in this world, but I am not following the world. I have learned how to respond and how not to respond. Anything complicated is first met with prayer and my emphatic trust in the Lord – the rest is up to Him to work things to the good. I trust His ways, and I trust His timing. And I have peace in my life!
I am brave because of Who goes before me. I am brave because of Who stands beside me. And I am brave because I am His. I am a daughter of the King and wear my crown with courage.