“Our brothers have made us lose heart” Deut. 1:28
All but two of the leaders that were sent to explore the land God was going to give to Israel came back with a report of fear, a report of uncertainty, a report of discouragement. They initiated a distrust in God that led to 40 years of wandering and the death of tens of thousands in the process.
I pray we are not people who cause those around us to lose heart. Of course, that doesn’t mean we should be fake. That doesn’t mean we should be less than honest about the struggles, about the pain, about the defeats….but it does mean that we must always look past those realities to the ultimate reality that God is enough and He will sustain and provide! What He calls us to, He equips us for. Every. Single. Time.
Because sometimes, when we are in the midst of a trial, our perspective can be off, we can have tunnel vision….we get “lost” in our emotions and even paralyzed by fear. We need the support of others, but not necessarily the agreement of others. We don't need platitudes, we need truth. We don't need to feel better about the way that we feel...we need to feel differently, which means we need to start thinking differently.
That's why I am so thankful for the example of Moses just a couple of verses later when he says to the nation: “Don’t be terrified or afraid of them! The Lord your God who goes before you will fight for you, just as you saw him do for you in Egypt. And you saw in the wilderness how the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son all along the way you traveled until you reached this place.” (Deut.1:31)
I love what Moses did to spur the Israelites on. He reminded them of past realities in their own lives. He pointed out how God had already worked to deliver them, to carry them, to provide for them. He brought to mind God's past faithfulness to encourage them in the present by reminding them of His tender care and sustaining help. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8). That reality buoys our faith and strengthens our hearts...and it's what those around us need to hear, too!
Comments