Day 7: Discouragement – Rev. Jimmy Freeland

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Day 7: Discouragement – Rev. Jimmy Freeland

Posted on Jan 11, 2020 in Devotions |

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
 
              Moses was dead. Given the circumstances, it seemed only right that Joshua take up the role of leader of the Israelites, but only because God had chosen him. Maybe Joshua was discouraged, and maybe a lot of it had to do with the fact that he and his countrymen had not yet entered into the land that God had promised them. Maybe he thought they never would, but he knew that if they didn’t it wouldn’t be God’s fault. He probably felt that the Israelites would never get it together, and he probably felt very alone given the fact that he truly had a heart for God, though it seemed like no one else did.
 

              I know how you feel, like the world is stacked against you and there is no hope of any kind of peace in your current situation. Friend, you need to understand that all of God’s people undergo trials, and that includes the pastors, Sunday School teachers, and even the deacons. Let me guess, this doesn’t make you feel any better? Remember how Joshua, as a young man had to assume the role of leader to God’s chosen people? He faced many of the same things you and I face on a daily basis. Am I good enough? What if I fail? Why do I feel so alone in this? Where is my help in all these troubles? Just like God called Joshua to lead the Israelites into promised land, He called you live the life He created you to live, leading in the way He chose you to lead. If you view God’s call on your life through human eyes, then you will always be lonely. If you view it through His eyes however, you’ll know that He can’t leave your side, because He promised to always be there.

              From the start, Joshua’s life is filled with struggle. How could he ever lead these hardheaded people? From the danger the two spies were in at Jericho, to the Israelites’ defeat at AI because of one man’s sin, the odds always seemed stacked against Joshua and God’s chosen people. Given all of the struggles he faced, Joshua might have had many moments where he thought that the journey was too tough, but he never lost sight of the fact that he served a mighty God, and it would be this same God that would deliver them into the Promised Land!

 

~Pastor Jimmy

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