We tend to be anxious about so many things - jobs, money,
health, success, family, and the list goes on. Then we make matters worse by
thinking, “Look how anxious I am. Being so anxious, I’m evidently not trusting
God and shouldn’t expect to receive anything from Him.”
This certainly isn’t so. If our anxieties meant we weren’t
trusting God, Joshua would have been disqualified from the Lord’s protection.
However, experiencing anxiety and fear is not the issue, but rather being led
by anxieties rather than by the Lord. Therefore, the Lord instructed Joshua how
to lean upon Him while struggling against his anxious temptations to run:
·
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful
to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the
Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:8-9)
Being courageous was not a matter of Joshua ridding himself
of fear, but of standing his ground in the Word against the fear. Notice that
the Lord didn’t instruct Joshua to not experience the feelings of anxiety. Instead,
He instructed Joshua how to stand in the midst of his fears.
The Children of Israel feared as they heard the Egyptian
chariots approaching. The Lord didn’t instruct them not to feel that way but
instead to observe the Lord’s salvation:
·
And Moses said to the people, "Fear not,
stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you
today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The
Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." (Exodus 14:13-14)
Sometimes, we are so powerless that all we can do is to
watch and wait. Years ago, my wife bribed me to get on the roller coaster with
her. Even though I trusted that the Lord would preserve me, I screamed in
terror until we rolled safely to the end.
After a year of traveling through the desert, Moses sent out
12 spies into the Promised Land. What they saw filled them with anxiety.
However, 10 of them succumbed to their fears and reported back that the
Canaanites were too powerful for them, and they created a rebellion. Joshua and
Caleb might have also felt the same way, but they were willing to trust in the
Word of the Lord. It was a matter of deciding for the Lord in favor of what our
eyes see. Moses declared:
·
“Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not
fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is
removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them." (Numbers
14:9)
It didn’t matter what they felt, but whether they would
continue to trust in the Word of the Lord.
Jesus understood how anxiety can take our focus away from
the Lord, and He provided the remedy:
·
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What
shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the
Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)
Jesus didn’t instruct them how not to experience anxiety,
but instead, what to do about it. We must proactively put the Lord first in our
lives, and He will provide for our needs.
In fact, anxiety can be a good thing. It can direct us
towards our only Source of hope. Therefore, the Psalmist, wrote, “when I fear,
I will trust in the Lord” (Psalm 56:3).
Brethren, you are not alone in your struggle against the
terrors that stalk us:
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No temptation has overtaken you that is not
common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your
ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that
you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Just wait patiently on the Lord and watch for His salvation.
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