Be Strong and Courageous

Have you ever been responsible for something you thought you weren’t ready to handle?  A promotion? An assignment? A life-changing decision? A question from your child?  I don’t have children, but all the others apply.  I do a job every day that I know I’m not ready for on my own….some days are easy ones but most are challenging.  Whenever you lead people, the level of responsibility rises exponentially.  So most days, I ask God what is it He wants me to do for the day and I ask Him to be with me throughout the day so I don’t step off His path.  On those days I forget to ask, I know it.  That’s why in the book of Joshua, God directed him to meditate on His Word day and night so that Joshua would not stray and would do all that God had directed Him and His people.  God explained to Joshua it would make his way prosperous and he would have good success (Joshua 1:8).  

God promised Joshua He would be with him just as He had been with Moses.  He encouraged Joshua to Be Strong and Very Courageous.  God showed Himself strong and mighty to the Israelites as they crossed the Jordan River and when God gave them the Promised Land.    So, that says to me that if we spend time meditating on God’s Word and we are obedient to it, we, too, will be prosperous and have great success.  

What does success look like?  Whatever God chooses for us when we know and are obedient to His Word.  I can’t say what it looks like because God’s ways are so much higher than mine.  What I can say, is when I look at my life, I see God’s hand in it and it looks so different from what I imagined.  In response to my obedience, not perfection, God has given me so much more than I could ever have dreamed or imagined.  And, it has led me to dream bigger dreams.  I know He has more for me to do.  Look at this blog for instance.  Who would have thought at the beginning of the year I’d be writing again?  I hadn’t in years.  My point is when we’re obedient, God shows up.  He will be with us. 

So, what in your life has God called to that scares you?  Don’t allow the fear to face the challenge, to face people, of failure, etc. keep you from doing what God told you to do.  Be Strong and Very Courageous (Joshua 1:9).  Step out on faith that the very God, who parted the Red Sea, the Jordan River and woke you up this morning, will be with you through whatever assignment He has given you.  Be Strong and Very Courageous – push past the fear of rejection and difficulty of the challenge and do what God told you.  Be Strong and Very Courageous!  God will never leave or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)!  If God be for you, who or what can stand against you (Romans 8:31)?  Be Strong and Very Courageous!