Joshua 7:7 NKJV
And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God , why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!
God is calling us to be strong and courageous as we embark on the journey into 2024. Even as we do so, we must always remember that we will have seasons and times we will be faced with setbacks and failure. How do we overcome that so that we don’t lose sight of the purpose of the journey ahead?
Joshua had experienced the first victory under his leadership and it was ecstatic! God had indeed come through in a miraculous way and the walls of Jericho had fallen giving him access to take the city. I can imagine the celebration and jubilation in the Israelite camp that day, what a boost of confidence to Joshua and the people that indeed God was with them.
The city of Ai was next on the list and just like Joshua had done with Jericho, he sends out spies to spy the land. Their report is encouraging because the city is small compared to Jericho and so it seems like victory is inevitable but it was not to be. Israel is defeated and about 36 men die in the process.
Can you imagine the doubt and fear that this must have brought into the camp? Had God abandoned them? It is at such moments that tge enemy comes in to discourage us and sometimes causing us to give up on the journey ahead.
Joshua goes before the Lord in prayer and it is there that he finds the answers, there is sin in the camp.
When faced with defeat, it does not mean that God has abandoned us or that he does not care for us anymore. God delights in our victories and he wants us to fulfill what He has called us to do.
When we are faced with defeat we need to run back to him and inquire of him and he will give us the answers and direction that we need. This is also an opportunity to learn and grow, also remember that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purposes.
Failure and defeat will come, they are part of the journey and process but you should not allow it to make you lose focus of the purpose. Always remember the WHY and run back to God for answers and the strength and courage to keep moving forward in 2024
Reflections.
What are some of the things you failed at last year?
How did you respond to the failure?
What lessons did you learn from that experience and how will you deal with failure in 2024?
