Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9, Amplified Bible (AMP)

Sometimes we strive for a goal, and when we fall short of the goal, we feel like a failure. It’s natural to get bummed out when we fall short of the mark, but in the light of Joshua 1:9, no Christian should stayed bummed out for long.

God encouraged Joshua to be strong, vigorous, courageous, unafraid, and of a positive attitude.  When He told Joshua this, Joshua wasn’t risking the sense of disappointment that follows personal failure. He was risking death. Joshua didn’t have to contend with a poor test grade, a dissatisfied client, or a failure to reach performance goals. He had to contend with people trying to kill him on the battlefield, and it was on the field of life and death struggle that God promised to be with Joshua.

God promises to be with us on our battlefields as well. Indeed, He is with us wherever we go because He moved into us at the moment of salvation! The question is, “Will we trust the outcome of our struggles to the Almighty God, or will we fight our own battles with the weak hands of man?” Trusting God for the outcome doesn’t mean we sit around doing nothing. God didn’t offer to swing Joshua’s sword for him, nor did He tell Joshua and the Israelites to sit still while God walked around the walls of Jericho for them. We have an obligation to act, but we can act with the confidence that God will be with us when we run into those inevitable obstacles.

In the Bible, God never promised us an easy road. He did, however, promise His aid to all who obediently follow His commands. If you are pursuing the prize that God wants you to pursue, then stop letting life’s little irritations bother you so much. Recognize those irritations for what they are – opportunities for God to show Himself strong in your life – and then call on His name to help you overcome that which is discouraging you!

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