Joshua 7:7
‘And Joshua said, “Oh, Lord GOD! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing to live beyond the Jordan.”‘
Joshua is discouraged. It was supposed to be an easy, quick victory and they could move on. Instead, the lost 36 soldiers and were sent running. He reads into the loss the wrong meaning. Even though God wanted them to live in the promised land, Joshua is ready to settle by living on the other side of the Jordan. He already abandons the life of faith.
This is what discouragement does. It certainly doesn’t rely on faith. But is willing to live eating pig food like the prodigal son. The eyes of faith don’t look at the present circumstances. They look higher. Up to God. Feelings of discouragement are natural. Don’t settle there. God has put the seed of faith in our hearts. Rest in that.
Proverbs 3:5,6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Our own understanding gets us into trouble. We easily see the worst.
We often get it wrong. We imagine God doing something different. We become shocked. It’s easy to fall into self pity. We need to fall back on what we know. God loves us and will work it out for the best. We are disoriented as we have casualties. We need to trust that He will makes sense of it and work it out.
“We are to walk by faith, not by sight”, (2 Corinthians 5:7). ‘“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways.”‘ Faith is patient and waits. We might not have answers and people may be pressuring us. We should tell them we are working on it, but need some time. The dust will settle and He will take care of it.
The life of faith is like a different language. That’s why unbelievers don’t get it. They go further and see us as foolish and mock those of faith. As new believers we are just learning that language. God caries us along, teaches and protects us. We are new borns in the faith. He brings us to maturity.
We are to be in His Word. It teaches the language of faith. It’s amazing. It causes us to mature and grow in faith. We become more fluent in our faith. I John speaks of the three stages of faith, infancy, young adulthood and adulthood. In the middle stage John refers to them as being warriors. They see the enemy and battle for lost souls.
Lord, help us to be strong in faith and trust what You are doing in our lives. We will have difficult trials that rattle our understanding. We cast our cares upon Him. We become stronger the next time. Thank You, Lord.