We have all been there—In that place where we begin to panic. We’ve lost our wallet, or we hear of a car accident when our kids are on the road, or we hear rumors of our job being in jeopardy, or a thousand other things that cause us stress in the greatest of ways! It’s so hard to know how to respond when life throws you a “curve ball.”
Joshua was a courageous leader. Joshua was a fierce leader. Joshua was a successful leader. Yet even Joshua found himself in panic mode. It really doesn’t matter how successful you have been in the past! When disaster hits, none of us are fully equipped in how to handle it...or are we? Thankfully, there is much to learn from our story.
Israel had just annihilated the city of Jericho. God had Joshua put them under a “ban of war” which meant that everything and everybody was to be destroyed. They were not to take any plunder (6:18) as everything was to be devoted to the Lord. What happened next was tragic, as a man by the name of Achan disobeyed God’s command by taking some of the plunder for himself, and the entire nation paid for it. You do not make decisions in a “bubble!”
Often, when someone sins, the effects of that sin come later which is exactly what happened in our story. Israel, naive to her vulnerability, attacked her next enemy, a city by the name of Ai. This nation was so small that Joshua only took a few soldiers into battle. What happened next was inconceivable as the Israelites were “routed” (7:4-5) by Ai! Joshua was shocked! The nation was shocked! God was NOT shocked! Remember, nothing takes God by surprise. He’s always working!
This was NOT how it was supposed to go! Have you ever felt that way in life? In other words, you had a plan, and you were executing that plan, and then something got in the way of that plan. In this moment, Joshua lost all confidence, and he found himself in a state of confusion. Why would God allow this to happen? What did he do wrong? How could this happen after such a huge victory over Jericho? Remember, Jericho was a powerful nation, and Ai was a weak nation, yet here they were.
In this moment Joshua panicked! Tearing your clothes and sprinkling dust on your head was a symbol of deep mourning. He was confused by the defeat to Ai. He went before God with tremendous humility and sorrow, questioning the nation’s future. He worried about what would happen to God’s reputation. He questioned the past promises of God.
God told Joshua to “stand up!” In other words, he told him to “snap out of” his panic mode. God had a plan for Israel, and God has a plan for you. Often, panic is caused by poor choices, like it was from Achan’s life. The devastating reality of Achan’s choice is that it cost multiple soldiers their lives. Sin always has a cost. Remember that warning the next time you choose to do something that is me-centric over mission-focused.
I’m grateful that, especially in our disasters, God is there with us! The next time life “throws you a curve ball,” ask God to reveal his will in the pain. Maybe there is a lesson to learn; a person to influence; a story to tell...all for his honor and glory! God was not done with Israel, and he is not done with you either. Remember that when the “darkness of night” comes, there is always the “dawning of the day” to follow! Maybe you’re in the middle of a trying season of life, but be grateful to know that your story is far from over. Let’s replace panic with patience. Let’s replace panic with process. Let’s replace panic with purpose.
Joshua was a courageous leader. Joshua was a fierce leader. Joshua was a successful leader. Yet even Joshua found himself in panic mode. It really doesn’t matter how successful you have been in the past! When disaster hits, none of us are fully equipped in how to handle it...or are we? Thankfully, there is much to learn from our story.
Israel had just annihilated the city of Jericho. God had Joshua put them under a “ban of war” which meant that everything and everybody was to be destroyed. They were not to take any plunder (6:18) as everything was to be devoted to the Lord. What happened next was tragic, as a man by the name of Achan disobeyed God’s command by taking some of the plunder for himself, and the entire nation paid for it. You do not make decisions in a “bubble!”
Often, when someone sins, the effects of that sin come later which is exactly what happened in our story. Israel, naive to her vulnerability, attacked her next enemy, a city by the name of Ai. This nation was so small that Joshua only took a few soldiers into battle. What happened next was inconceivable as the Israelites were “routed” (7:4-5) by Ai! Joshua was shocked! The nation was shocked! God was NOT shocked! Remember, nothing takes God by surprise. He’s always working!
This was NOT how it was supposed to go! Have you ever felt that way in life? In other words, you had a plan, and you were executing that plan, and then something got in the way of that plan. In this moment, Joshua lost all confidence, and he found himself in a state of confusion. Why would God allow this to happen? What did he do wrong? How could this happen after such a huge victory over Jericho? Remember, Jericho was a powerful nation, and Ai was a weak nation, yet here they were.
In this moment Joshua panicked! Tearing your clothes and sprinkling dust on your head was a symbol of deep mourning. He was confused by the defeat to Ai. He went before God with tremendous humility and sorrow, questioning the nation’s future. He worried about what would happen to God’s reputation. He questioned the past promises of God.
God told Joshua to “stand up!” In other words, he told him to “snap out of” his panic mode. God had a plan for Israel, and God has a plan for you. Often, panic is caused by poor choices, like it was from Achan’s life. The devastating reality of Achan’s choice is that it cost multiple soldiers their lives. Sin always has a cost. Remember that warning the next time you choose to do something that is me-centric over mission-focused.
I’m grateful that, especially in our disasters, God is there with us! The next time life “throws you a curve ball,” ask God to reveal his will in the pain. Maybe there is a lesson to learn; a person to influence; a story to tell...all for his honor and glory! God was not done with Israel, and he is not done with you either. Remember that when the “darkness of night” comes, there is always the “dawning of the day” to follow! Maybe you’re in the middle of a trying season of life, but be grateful to know that your story is far from over. Let’s replace panic with patience. Let’s replace panic with process. Let’s replace panic with purpose.