Matt and I sat on the sofa looking grim. It was another hard night for my husband and me.
We were anxious about our cash flow, with many bills looming and new work projects disappearing from our collective professional horizons. Just one more wave of financial stress for our family, and the waves had been crashing around us since 2008. There were so many things that our family needed, and we were growing weary. Very weary.
Every time one storm would pass, a new one appeared on the horizon.
Standing at the kitchen sink later, I prayed as soapy water ran through my fingers: Lord, when will it end? How long will we fight this old, tiring battle and be able to rest?
Then I thought of Joshua.
Joshua led the Israelites after Moses, tasked with winning the Promised Land for God’s people. While Moses was given the promise of a special land that would belong to his people, it was Joshua who was chosen to make it real by driving out the tribes who occupied that land.
Joshua’s people depended on him … like my family depends on Matt and me.
What was it like for him to lead the Israelites to the banks for the Jordan River at harvest time—when its waters were at flood stage—knowing that he must somehow take his people through it to enter the Promised Land?
Did he stand on the shore watching the river waters flow and think:
Lord! We’ve already crossed a great body of water, the Red Sea! And here is yet another river to cross! We’ve been there! Done that!
What was it like for Joshua to win one mighty battle after another for his people, only to discover a new tribe to conquer over the next hill of the lush Canaan country? Did Joshua watch the smoke rising from the enemy campfires in the distance, and ask:
“Lord, when will it end? How long will we fight these old, tiring battles and be able to rest?”
Joshua refused to allow discouragement to keep him from God’s promise of victory. We can follow his lead and fight discouragement in our own lives in this way:
Remembering What God has Done in the Past
Joshua must have been weary and discouraged at times, yet he chose to believe God’s promises and push on. Instead of allowing discouragement to overtake him, he remembered what God had done in the past. Day by day, battle by battle, he trusted in God’s word to be true. He crossed mighty waters and conquered many battles and through him, God did great things!
Knowing Who You Are in Christ
What I forget sometimes is that Joshua was a mere man. Not only that, but a man who was born into slavery. There came a day that he chose to see himself not as the lowly slave he once was, but as the man God created him to be, Joshua, “The Lord Gives Victory.”
We face that same choice today. Do we live as slaves to our circumstances, or as the conquerors that God calls us to be? (Romans 8:37)
Joshua was chosen by God for a mighty task and empowered by God to be victorious in it. And so are you!
Knowing (and Leaning on) the Promises of God
In the past, I trembled with anxiety whenever I faced a new battle. But I have seen with my own eyes—as Joshua did—the power and might and glory of God. I have witnessed God’s faithfulness like Joshua. I know that He honors every promise because God has led me safely through past waters. I can say that same words as Joshua did when he told the Israelites:
“You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” Joshua 23:14 NIV
Are you weary or discouraged?
We, like Joshua, battle with fear and discouragement. Make the choice to be strong like Joshua and take possession of the promises of God! Yes, the battles will keep coming—this is life—but we don’t need to fear them anymore.
We don’t need sink to discouragement because God is faithful. He always was, He always will be, and He IS today, faithful to lead you and your family victoriously through this life to our Promised Land in eternity as children of the Most High God.
So what are you facing today? Are you asking God, “How long will I fight this battle?” If so, then take a lesson from Joshua and press on. God will be faithful to supply your every need.
PROMISE VERSES TO MEMORIZE:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:12
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My son is in the hospital after a third surgery and this is just what I needed today. THANK YOU! God bless you!
Kelly, I hear you on this. And am so blessed by this reminder of how to fight back. My energy for this book is waning and we’re still not out of the woods financially either, but Joshua walked the desert for more than 40 years and just kept on walking. Amazing how many good things can come from one person’s story. Kind of like with each of ours. Blessings, friend!
Love this Kelly! Thank you!
Kelly, you have no idea how much these words meant to me today in the midst of an extremely painful family situation. These were just the Scriptures I needed to hang on to TODAY. I have also been praying Ephesians 3:14-21 into this situation. Thank you for the encouragement that came at exactly the right time! May you be blessed for being a blessing!
This was very timely for me, too! Thanks so much for sharing.
These are great and wonderful words! Thanks for sharing. I really needed to see this today!
Kelly can you give me examples from your life showing God’s faithfulness. Isn’t it God who allowes the bad thing to happen in our life at the first place? I am sorry I am trying very hard to trust in God but I am failing
Hi, Monika. Well, that’s a good question. My trust in God has grown as I have gotten older and as I have watched God be faithful. Now that does NOT mean that I haven’t had hard times. God has allowed hard times into my life, but whenever He did, He has promised (and did) work it to the good in some way. For example, my faith became stronger when we survived.
But you asked for examples, so here are just a few: 1) God was faithful in providing a good marriage for me. Monika, I grew up in a broken home and had more than a few heartaches in my early years. I didn’t have one example of what a good marriage looked like. So, when I was a teen, I began to pray and ask God to deliver me from having to go through that pain again in my adult years. Today, I have a happy, strong marriage, but there were previous relationships (in college and shortly after) that ended in hard breakups, loss, and tears. (Let’s just say I was dumped a few times. : – ) ) It was hard to go through each of those times, but now I know that God was faithful in answering that prayer for a strong marriage.
2) Getting to go to college: We didn’t have much growing up, but I really wanted to go to college. I have no idea how I made it though the tuition payments, but somehow, on a day-by-day basis, God provided. I know now that if He calls a person to a task, He will provide a way. He doesn’t promise it will be an EASY way (I had to work a lot of extra jobs), but He did get me there. At one point, when a student grant fell through, I nearly dropped out, but He provided some people who told me to keep on going.
3) Parenting: Oh, I could tell you a million stories about God’s faithfulness in this area! I believe God has a special heart for parents! So many times I have felt that I couldn’t make it as a mother of a special needs child, but God has provided daily strength. I have had to surrender some of the ideas that I had about what being a parent should be, and instead focus on being the parent that God wants me to be. I recall sitting on the carpet watching my son at 2 1/2 and crying out to God, “I can never do this!” … but today I can tell you that Alec is one of the biggest joys of my life. Does that mean it is easy? NO!! It’s hard. School is hard. Socializing is hard. Life is hard. But every day we are still here is another day that God has brought us farther than I could have ever dreamt sitting on that floor 10 years ago.
I’m not sure if that is what you were asking. What I do know is this: Whatever I have lost, God has filled will love. I can’t explain it, but that’s what I have known.
Can you tell me more? You can email me at info@kellylangston.com if you would like to tell me more.
Thank you Kelly so much for taking time to answer my question.
Wow, did I need this today. Thank you for your encouragement.
Thanks for commenting, Bridget. I fight it, too.