Max Lucado on Finding Unbreakable Courage in an Anxious World
FAITH IN THE MIDST OF LIFE CRISES
Max seeks to address the hurting, guilty, lonely, and discouraged with this message: “God loves you; let him.” Having been marked by God’s unconditional love, he communicates the same theme through many different subtopics such as being free from anxiety and walking by faith. After experiencing a lot of life and the troubles that come with it, he decided to write his latest book Unbreakable Courage: Strong Faith in an Age of Anxiety, Chaos, and Exhaustion. This book discuses today’s headlines and common anxieties and applies the truth of Scripture to them. He addresses the question: can a person live with courage and faith in a world like this? He begins unfolding the answer to this question in a story-like manner, which is one of his specialties.
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF
Using the life of Elijah as an example, Max shows readers that courage is not found in the stability of circumstances, but in the unchanging character of God. Max states, “Elijah’s story is relevant because the challenges he faced are similar to yours. By the time Elijah appeared on the scene, Israel was six decades and four kings deep in a cesspool of death and decadence. Ungodly idol worship. Unholy clergy. Unbridled evil. Untold sordid scandals. Sounds like a good era in which to live? Sounds like the era in which we live.” Therefore, to some people’s surprise, nothing that is being experienced today by people is new under the sun. Although things are getting worse according to polls and statistics, history is ultimately repeating itself, and the lessons learned from God’s people back then such as Elijah still apply to people today.
MAX’S WORDS OF WISDOM
In his book, Max provides some practical insights such as, “Wait for God in solitude and silence.” Even though this may seem nearly impossible since people are living in a world with constant noise and movement, 24/7 television availability and news around the clock. The reality is that people are “avoiding the stillness.” Max says, “Take advantage of the small sabbaticals that come your way: the early morning moments, the time in the car as you commute, the minutes before you board a plane. Lay claim to a quiet place. A spot where you can hear God’s voice and where you can be honest with self and God.”
Another practical tip is to dare to believe God’s promises such as He will supply one’s every need. Max emphasizes this word “every,” highlighting God’s provision of self-control, courage, power, and finances. Regarding finances, Max shares the principle, “If it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill.” Within his own life, he has seen God’s abundant provision to make the publishing of over one hundred of his books possible alongside many other divine experiences.
Max also thinks that believers should respond to fear by publicly worshiping God in song and sacrament. Elijah knew the importance of this and built an altar to God in full view of his enemies. The question is still: why is this act so important? In other words, what does it accomplish? Max answers, “When you give God worship, you give God what Satan wants. The devil wants the top spot. When you worship God,...Satan is defeated.”
THE WORD SPREADS
Ultimately, Max’s passion to encourage believers in despair and his diligence to fulfill his God-given mission have resulted in change among many people’s lives. Having over four million social media followers, Max is providing eternal hope and stirring up people’s faith to live free from fear and experience God’s unconditional love. “Dare we think the unthinkable...that God can use you and me to do something in our day akin to what Elijah did in his? Let’s ask God to resurrect hope that has perished and dreams that are buried. Who knows, he may just be waiting on an Elijah with unbreakable courage to ask him to do so again.”
A QUESTION LEADS TO TRANSFORMATION
Max grew up in a Christian home attending church often. However, in his teenage years, he began walking away from the faith leading to his temporary pursuit of alcohol, parties, and chasing girls. He started wondering if there were more to life than these unsatisfying things he had been experiencing. Soon after, his heart started changing while taking a Bible class in college. He then began seeking God and desired to share about God’s love for the rest of his life. After graduating, he became a missionary to Brazil for five years where he discovered his love for writing and storytelling. From that point on, he has been preaching and teaching the Word of God to large audiences and through various platforms.
