When I think too deeply about the state of our world, I begin to panic. I feel a heat rising in me that ushers in anxiety and this feeling of doom. To look around and see such chaos it just feels that it is so dark and heavy that waiting for God to show up just seems impossible. I am only 32 but I feel like I have seen such awful things in my lifetime, and it doesn’t feel like it will ever get any better. I am tired of the chaos of the world, I am tired of feeling worried about how things will ever change for the good, I am exhausted with trying to protect myself and my family from the evil that surrounds us on every side. It all just seems impossible. It is easy to get weary, heavy hearted, and lost in it all. Some days I throw my hands up and ask, “Where are you God? How much longer?” I know I am not the only one feeling this. Election years seem to bring these things up even more so. I AM TIRED. Come Jesus, Come.
When Joshua got word to come help fight a battle, the Lord said to him:
“Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you” Joshua 10:8
Joshua went to battle with confidence that the Lord was on his side. He didn’t shrink back. He didn’t run and hide from the chaos. He trusted the Lord, and went boldly into the face of danger. Then the Lord did something amazing, that no one ever really talks about:
“So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies……. And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go own for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it…. for the Lord fought for Israel.” Joshua 10:13-14
How incredible!! The Lord kept his promise. Joshua defeated his enemies. But what a crazy, seemingly impossible way, that the Lord stopped the sun and moon, so that Joshua’s mission was successful. Joshua fully trusted God to do a mighty work, and never lost hope in the middle of the battle. God provided extra light for them to battle until the end. Impossible? Not with God.
To me, this passage just gives me so much hope. We may not be facing battles in the same context as Joshua in this story. However, we are in a battle in the sense that we are fighting evils of this fallen world that only seek to destroy us. This world is dark, life is hard. In those dark moments, we can trust God in a similar way as Joshua—we can rest in the fact that God is in perfect control. God is with us, and we are never alone. We need to stop living in fear, and embrace the hope God has given us, that he will help us and bring us through. God can do the impossible! He still heals. He still restores. He still moves obstacles. He still provides in unexpected ways. His mercies are new every morning. REST in him. Fall into his arms. Trust that God can and will do great things in, through, and for you.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
When Joshua got word to come help fight a battle, the Lord said to him:
“Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you” Joshua 10:8
Joshua went to battle with confidence that the Lord was on his side. He didn’t shrink back. He didn’t run and hide from the chaos. He trusted the Lord, and went boldly into the face of danger. Then the Lord did something amazing, that no one ever really talks about:
“So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies……. And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go own for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it…. for the Lord fought for Israel.” Joshua 10:13-14
How incredible!! The Lord kept his promise. Joshua defeated his enemies. But what a crazy, seemingly impossible way, that the Lord stopped the sun and moon, so that Joshua’s mission was successful. Joshua fully trusted God to do a mighty work, and never lost hope in the middle of the battle. God provided extra light for them to battle until the end. Impossible? Not with God.
To me, this passage just gives me so much hope. We may not be facing battles in the same context as Joshua in this story. However, we are in a battle in the sense that we are fighting evils of this fallen world that only seek to destroy us. This world is dark, life is hard. In those dark moments, we can trust God in a similar way as Joshua—we can rest in the fact that God is in perfect control. God is with us, and we are never alone. We need to stop living in fear, and embrace the hope God has given us, that he will help us and bring us through. God can do the impossible! He still heals. He still restores. He still moves obstacles. He still provides in unexpected ways. His mercies are new every morning. REST in him. Fall into his arms. Trust that God can and will do great things in, through, and for you.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33