CONTINUE STRONG
[7-minute read]
Think of the last time you told people you were embarking on a new life direction, or starting a new job, or relocating to a different country. You likely received all kinds of well wishes - Godspeed, all the best, good luck, bon voyage – as you stepped into a future full of promises, confident that you could sidestep any problems and perils that might remotely emerge. Or so you thought.
Until at some point down the road, the reality hit you that the good start launching you into a new trajectory did not necessarily guarantee a trouble-free ride. You learnt that between starting right and finishing well, there is the endurance of an inevitable intermediate state that only those who care enough about you would prepare you for. This is the part where you will most likely ask God many questions about why things are happening, what you should do and how you could endure. It is a critical point where the decisions you make and the actions you take can set you back or advance God’s plans in your life. This is the place where you need to continue strong.
Indeed, when we look at our lives in general, between our birth and eventual demise, between our salvation and meeting our Saviour in heaven, there is a long and unknown middle to navigate. It is also the place where we often want to throw in the towel and walk away - only to find ourselves on another indeterminate path.
So, how shall we greet each other in the new year? With another chirpy ‘Happy New Year’? What if the new year falls short of delivering the standard of happiness we expect? Is ‘happiness’ even a reliable yardstick for measuring a believer’s life purpose and God-given mission? How do we navigate life and keep our relationship with God and our faith in Him strong in a world that is only going to get more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous? What will you give your attention to in 2023?
Fortunately for believers, the entire Bible is a guidebook for living between the start and finish. We will take our lessons from Joshua 1:1-9 that describes a time when Moses had just passed on and God told Joshua, without pulling any punches, that the head honcho is dead and now he was to take over God’s assignment that Moses started and complete it.
What did God want Joshua to do?
Here’s the list of tall orders: ‘Get ready to cross the River Jordan into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites’ (v2), ‘lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them’ (v6), ‘Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left’ (v7), and ‘Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it’ (v8).
What kind of success did God promise Joshua?
‘I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.’ (v3), ‘No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ (v5), ‘you may be successful wherever you go.’ (v7), ‘you will be prosperous and successful.’ (v8), and ‘the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ (v9).
If success was guaranteed, why did God keep saying to Joshua: ‘Be strong and courageous because you will lead these people to inherit the land’ (v6), ‘Be strong and very courageous’ (v7) and ‘Be strong and courageous…do not be afraid, do not be discouraged’ (v9).
If we follow the breadcrumbs closely, we will find three warnings that will prepare us well for 2023:
WARNING #1: THERE WILL BE BATTLES
When God told Joshua that no one would be able to stand against him, He was not saying that no one would ever try to challenge his authority, betray him, or covertly sabotage his God-given plans in any number of ways. After all, in his days as Moses’ closest aide, he had seen first-hand how people constantly complained and grumbled against Moses, and even brought charges against him. But God’s mission for Joshua had to be accomplished no matter what.
At the same time, if we truly believe that nothing happens outside the purview of God, we will resist the temptation to bail as soon as we face challenges and difficult people. But if we default to letting our emotions guide us all the time, we will avoid whatever seems risky and make us uncomfortable. This leads to the erroneous thinking that the peace of God exists only in risk-free environments.
In reality, whether our battles come from within or outside of us, our resolve to be Christlike will be hit in different ways. It could take the form of a narcissistic person in our life, someone who abuses their authority, or a difficult co-worker who makes it hard for us to look forward to go to work each day. But know this: God is in the picture. If you don’t believe it, just read the book of Psalms.
WARNING #2: GOD’S WORD MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED, ALTERED OR DILUTED
How did Joshua eventually succeed in carrying out everything God told him to do? By obeying God’s word - no matter what. Yes, realities can be hard. But you are the one who gives permission to who or what taking up your mental space – is it God or your worries?
Notice it is only verse 7 where God said – be strong and very courageous. It does take great courage to fully obey and trust God’s Word unflinchingly. In fact, God emphasized this to Joshua: ‘do not turn from it to the right or to the left’ (v7) and ‘meditate on it day and night’ (v8). In other words, God was telling Joshua that there was not going to be any degree of variance in his observance of God’s laws and instructions. He should not entertain anything in his mind that would compromise, alter or dilute the Word of God.
In the same way, we need to practice letting God’s Word increase and take up mental real estate in our minds instead of relying on our intelligence, conclusions and confidence about the decisions we make. Our circumstances may not change as quickly as or in the way that we like but we should not second guess God’s Word and its power to bring about the change that He desires through our obedience.
WARNING #3: BE ASSURED THAT GOD WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS
Whether we are going through a long crisis and finding it hard to tell anyone about it without sounding whiny and negative; or we don’t want to overwhelm the people who care about us by revealing how we really feel inside, God knows only too well.
That was why Joshua was assured twice: ‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ (v5), and ‘the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ (v9).
It doesn’t matter what is the size of your problem, or how long it has lasted, but know that God is with you. He will dive into any rock bottom experience you are going through. He will enter the darkness that envelopes you. He will sit in the numbing silence that walls you in. And know this, ‘No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life’ (v5).
So you must believe that He will never leave you nor forsake you.
As Moses’ faithful assistant, Joshua was always by Moses’ side. However, this appointment from God is not anything he was familiar with or had done before. It was daunting to say the least. God knew that Joshua could not rely on his own confidence in leading the people of Israel to the Promised Land. Moses may have died. But God’s plan and purpose for His people transcends human life. Therefore, Joshua must continue to be strong and not back down.
What about you? 2023 will not be a mirror image of 2022. There will be new victories and sweet successes, but there will also be fresh battles. Yet this is not the time for you to stand still but to continue strong in your faith journey.
Watch and see God’s plans and purposes unfold in and through you in greater ways in 2023!
This is a summary and reflection based on a virtual BIR Session held on 7 January 2023.
