William Bradford on persevering in spite of danger

I am currently reading to my boys about the Pilgrims. In our current book(review coming soon), the author occasionally provides quotes from William Bradford’s journals. The following quote really struck me. Bradford is talking about the attempt to plant a colony in the New World. I thought of it in connection with pastoral ministry (no doubt it could apply in various areas), particularly the effort of renewal in the church. It will be difficult, there will be costs. Yet, it is worth it. This is good advice. Let us not be paralysed by fear. Rather, let us press on in faith.

“All great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties; and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. For though there were many of them likely, yet they were not certain. It might be that sundry of the things feared might never befall; others, by provident care and the use of good means, might in a great measure be prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome.”