Deuteronomy 31:8
“The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Here they are, on the verge of entering the promised land. There parents were there 40 years earlier. This is an exciting next step. However, challenges await them and they’re afraid. Their parents allowed this fear to cause them to stay back.
We need be careful that we don’t fall into the same trap. It’s not wrong to feel fear. It becomes a problem when it paralyzes us.
Gideon became a general, yet he initially wrestled with fear. He was threshing wheat at the wine press. He was nearly hidden. Yet, the angel called him a valiant warrior (Judges 6).
Later, he was unsure about taking this job, so he asked God to confirm it with a fleece (Judges 6). This is also a good thing. We need to make sure we don’t let our doubts keep us from God’s plan for us.
God has great plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares The Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 speaks of how marvelous God’s plans are that we haven’t even conceived of them.
The Israelites were on the border of something great. They came equipped with the fact that their parents refused to enter. God had prepared a great home for them. It would be the culmination of the promise to their fore fathers. They would be entering a full maturation stage.
God has great things for us, as well. Like Gideon, check to confirm it’s from The Lord. Once sure, go for it. He wants us to reach new heights.
Lord, thanks that You’ve got great things for us. Help us not to let our fears cripple us.