Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to help a struggling person, but you were not really sure what to say to them? I think that we sometimes struggle with what to say to people who are in the midst of trials. In the past, I have said things to people who are hurting like, “I am so sorry,” “I am praying for you,” “I am going to be thinking about you,” “I love you,” and “Let me know if you need anything.” There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying any of that; however, I want us to notice a statement that I have not heard a lot of people say. This statement can be found in Joshua 1:1-9.
When you read Joshua 1:1-9, you have to understand the difficulty that Joshua was going through at that time. Joshua’s mentor and teacher, Moses, had recently died (Joshua 1:1). After Moses’ death, Joshua was the man who God commissioned to lead the Israelites to not only enter the promised land but also conquer it (Deuteronomy 1:38). Taking Moses’ position, Joshua was leading probably about three million Israelites into the land that God had promised to Abraham hundreds of years earlier (Genesis 12:7). How do you think Joshua felt about that? Do you think that he would have felt afraid, overwhelmed, stressed, or intimidated by this great, challenging task? I know I would have!
When Joshua faced something difficult, what kind of message did he receive? Three different times, God presented this message to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous” (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9).
What did it mean for Joshua to “be strong and courageous” in the midst of hardship? First, being strong and courageous meant that Joshua had to eliminate the fear that he had; he could not “be frightened or dismayed” (Joshua 1:9). In the midst of trials, we cannot be strong and courageous and full of fear at the same time. The two are mutually exclusive. Second, being strong and courageous meant that Joshua would meditate on and obey God’s law (Joshua 1:7- 8). Sometimes, trials can cause us to go down really dark paths in life. We cannot be strong and courageous unless we are willing to do what God has told us to do in the Scriptures.
In the midst of a stressful situation, God had told Joshua what to do and how to do it. Where did Joshua find the strength to do what God had said? How was Joshua able to be strong and courageous in the face of something so challenging? How was he able to eliminate fear and hold to God’s commands? Joshua was only able to accomplish this great task because God promised to be with him every single step of the way. God told Joshua, “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 1:5). God promised Joshua, “I will not leave you or forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). God said to Joshua, “The LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). God’s continual, abiding presence was what allowed Joshua to be strong and courageous in the midst of his difficulty.
Unlike Joshua, you are not leading three million Israelites into the promised land. But, chances are, you are going through, have gone through, or will go through something difficult. Maybe this is a message that you need to hear: be strong and courageous. Eliminate fear. Be willing to meditate on and obey the word of God. You can do this, not because of your own power or ability, but because God has promised to be with you every single step of the way. Maybe, there is someone in your life who is hurting. You want to help that person, but you are not quite sure what to do or say. I believe that the message presented in Joshua 1:1-9 can always be a great help. If we want to triumph over the trials in our lives and help others to triumph over the trials in their lives, this is a message from God that we always need to remember: “Be strong and courageous.”
-Tyler Alverson
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