The Race is not given to the swift nor the strong but he who endures until the end. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
Life is filled with so many challenges. Some of which we may not understand. Life can cause you to be up one day and down the next. These challenges can often cause us to lose sight of who we are and our purpose in life. These challenges can cause us to lose hope and give up in striving for what God has promised us: a prosperous and abundant life. But, when in the thick of the trials, those promises can become quite blurry.
It is sometimes a struggle, when in the midst of hard times, to keep in mind who you are in Christ. Jesus reminded us that we are heirs to the Kingdom of God and that God has promised us peace that surpasses all understanding (Gal 3:29, Phil 4:7). God has promised that God will wipe away all tears from our eyes, if we keep our mind on God. But, how can we do this when we are struggling to keep sane; when life has beat us down so heavy; when people have turned their backs on us; when we do not have enough money; when death rears its ugly head?
In Joshua 1:9, God is encouraging a new generation of Israelites that God is still present and to be “brave and strong” for God is “with you wherever you go.” The Israelites had come across a great deal of struggle and roadblocks that made it difficult for them to obtain and maintain the promise land. But, God’s promise was still valid for them, if only they kept the faith and remembered that God was always with them.
As life tries to break us down; as times get difficult; as we may stress out and become discouraged, we must remember God’s promises for us. In remembering God’s promises, we can stand in the face of struggle and “be brave and strong.” God is calling us to lean on God and plant our feet in the promises that God has made to us. When we do this, we can have perfect submission and perfect delight in spite of the storm. In God, we are strong. In God, we are brave. In God, we are enough. To be lost in the love of God and God’s promises, we have the strength to endure.
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