“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them slain over to Israel.'” Joshua 11:6a (NIV)
What he saw should have stopped his heart. His enemies united and charging toward him, with massive armies too numerous to count.
Surrounded as he glanced every direction, Joshua saw no way out. Had Joshua been relying on only his eyes, he would have had great reason to fear. Death was surely coming – now!
But thankfully, he didn’t only have his eyes to assess the situation. He had a heart for God which enabled him to hear God’s prompting. “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand over all of them, slain over to Israel.'”
By tomorrow, your problems will go away, so don’t be afraid.
How easy was it for Joshua to believe that?
How about you?
When facing an insurmountable task: be it a life threatening diagnosis, financial ruin, or an a loss you can’t prevent; is it easy to let go of fear when fearful things have you surrounded?
I haven’t always handled fear well. But I have learned God keeps His promises. He wrote in Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them. He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Can I encourage you with my life experience? I have faced fear and uncertainty in many forms. God always came through. Not always with the miracle I would have authored. Not always with the timeline promising it would be dealt with tomorrow. But He was always in control, even when my human eyes couldn’t see it.
He has never let me down.
He has never left me on my own.
He has always been there, holding me and my loved ones in the palm of His hand.
It’s not easy to trust when we can’t see. But God is faithful. He will never leave us nor forsake us; we can trust in Him.
Maybe like me, you might need a reminder of that at times. Let’s ask for His help with just that:
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your promises to always be there, never to leave me nor forsake me. Please help me remember to rely on Your Word. Please help me draw closer to You, to build a faith that relies on Your Word. Thank You for Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.