Devotional
Sometimes It's Better
to Run Away
On sin, cowardice, and the holy courage
to get out of the room.
Nobody wants to be called a coward. The word lands like an accusation — soft, weak, someone who flinches when things get hard. In every culture, across every era, cowardice is placed at the bottom of the social ladder. People don't just dislike cowards; they distance themselves from them.
And as Christians, that reputation matters doubly. We serve a God who calls us to courage. Be strong and courageous appears in Scripture more times than most people realize. 1 John 4:18 tells us that perfect love drives out fear. We are not called to be timid people.
Except — there is one situation where running away is not only allowed. It is commanded.
God Says: Run.
Paul is writing to Timothy — a young pastor leading a real church full of real people. He has just spent several verses warning about the love of money, false teaching, and the corruption that follows people who chase the wrong things. Then he pivots and says something direct:
"But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness."
— 1 Timothy 6:11 (NLT) · BibleGatewayThe Greek word behind "flee" here means to escape, to seek safety in flight — the kind of urgency you'd see in an animal running for its life. Paul isn't suggesting a slow, dignified withdrawal. He's saying: get out. Now.
And just in case there's any ambiguity about what exactly we're running from, Paul already laid it out in Galatians:
This isn't a gray list. This is a clear list. And the instruction for all of it is the same: run.
Meet the Godly Coward
Joseph is back. And this time we find him in an even harder situation than the pit.
He has risen within Potiphar's household. He is trusted, respected, given authority over everything. And then Potiphar's wife notices him. She's persistent. Day after day, she pushes. Day after day, Joseph refuses. He has his reasons — honor toward Potiphar, and most importantly, the conviction that this would be sin against God (Genesis 39:9).
Then one day, they are alone in the house.
"She caught him by his garment, saying, 'Lie with me.' But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside."
— Genesis 39:11–12 (NKJV) · BibleGatewayHe didn't negotiate. He didn't try to reason with her one more time. He didn't inch toward the exit. He left his coat in her hands and ran.
The cost? She falsely accused him. He ended up in prison. The bravest, most God-honoring decision of his life led directly to his worst circumstance yet.
But Joseph ran anyway. Because he understood something the world still hasn't figured out:
Running from sin is not cowardice.
It is the highest form of courage.
How to Run Well
Joseph didn't just run in the moment — he had already been avoiding her (Genesis 39:10). Fleeing sin isn't only a split-second decision. It's a lifestyle. Here's what that looks like practically:
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I
Know your list before you're in the moment
Look back at Galatians 5:19–21. Which ones are your actual pressure points? Name them specifically — not in general terms. You can't flee what you haven't identified. The time to make the decision to run is before you're standing in the room.
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II
Don't flirt with the edge
Joseph avoided her before she cornered him. The question isn't just "how do I escape when sin grabs me?" — it's "why am I walking into the house alone with her in the first place?" Wisdom creates distance early. 2 Timothy 2:22 says to flee youthful passions — that means don't hang around them either.
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III
Accept that running may cost you something
Joseph lost his coat and his freedom. He still ran. Fleeing sin sometimes costs you socially — you leave the party, you close the app, you end the conversation, you lose a relationship. The world may call you a coward. Run anyway. 1 Corinthians 6:18 doesn't add a footnote about convenience.
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IV
Run toward something, not just away
Paul doesn't just say flee — he says pursue. Righteousness, godly life, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness. Running from sin without running toward God leaves a vacuum. Fill the space. A YouVersion reading plan on overcoming temptation is one practical way to stay in pursuit mode.
Carry the Declaration
Joseph ran so fast he left his coat behind. What he held onto was his integrity — his identity as someone entrusted by God, accountable to God, living for God.
That's the spirit behind everything at Entrusted to Him. Not fashion. A declaration. A reminder you wear every day of who you belong to — and what that means when the room gets complicated.
Go Deeper
Read the full account. The detail and tension in the original text is more vivid than any summary.
Read the two verses together. The flee and the pursue belong as a pair — you can't have one without the other.
A deep look at why Joseph was able to resist when so many others couldn't. Practical and honest.
Compares Joseph's response to David's failure with Bathsheba. The contrast is instructive.
A clear, direct theological answer to the practical question of what fleeing actually looks like in real life.
Stay in this topic over several days with guided reading and daily reflection prompts.
Wear What
You Stand For.
Faith-based apparel for people who know whose they are — and live like it matters.
The world will call you a coward for walking away from certain rooms, certain screens, certain conversations, certain relationships.
Joseph left his coat and ended up in prison. He still made the right call.
Running from sin is not weakness. It is wisdom. It is obedience. It is the bravest thing you can do.
Be more like Joseph. Run.
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