Joshua 1:9

AMP – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

NRSVUE – I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

VOICE – This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go.

Ever Present God

God’s guidance is continuing through the transition from Moses to Joshua, showing how dedicated God is to the covenant made with the Israelites. Strength and courage weren’t about making Joshua into a fearless hero, but about trusting God’s love stayed with the community through the unknown. The courage that we receive isn’t given based on our performance or perfection, but through God’s presence. Fear and discouragement are natural responses to stressful situations. Historically, the Israelites faced tough enemies and fortified cities, which would easily lead to fear. Joshua was invited to not let his fear and discouragement win his thoughts. It didn’t mean he had to stop feeling them, but that he must hold them up to God and trust that God won’t abandon him in those hard moments. Overall, Joshua and the Israelites are being reminded that God is with them at all times. God’s presence is a source of comfort and empowerment for His people. For us, it connects to what Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, where Jesus promises that He will be with us always at all times.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What comfort do you feel knowing that God is with you at all times?

Emotions are Natural

Fear and discouragement are natural human responses, and I think this needs to be focused on today. Emotions like that are normal. Emotions like that makes us human. They do not make us broken, or obsolete. It’s important to understand what these emotions are, where they come from, and how we can overcome them.

Fear typically arises when someone feels danger of any kind. Physically, you can feel an increased heart rate, muscle tension, higher cortisol levels, and your fight, flight, or freeze system preparing to activate. Fear is tied to a clear present threat. Discouragement is more complex, and can be shown through lower motivation, confidence, and hope towards a specific action or outcome. Discouragement can come from setbacks, criticism, comparison, or repeated failures. It can affect both our mental health and personal growth.

We are invited to notice the fear, acknowledge the signal that our body is sending us, but instead of responding out of fear – we rest in God’s presence. Instead of reacting, we pause. We rest. We talk about everything that creates that feeling of fear, both external and internal, and allow God to fill us with strength and courage to walk through the fear and find a safe path on the other side. Discouragement can leave in a place of stagnation and isolation, but God says that we can get up and go with Him at our side. God doesn’t abandon us in seasons of low energy and burnout. Our bodies will say that we cannot socialize and be with others, and there’s some legitimate reasons to separate from others for peace and rest. However, we are not alone even in these moments of rest. Even Jesus had to get away from the crowds to seek rest in God’s presence. When we get into God’s presence, we find moments of strength and courage to overcome the feelings of failures and comparison. In our current society, it can be best to take a social media sabbath. The discouragement can often come from feelings of seeing others thrive and feeling inadequate as a result.

Overall, fear and discouragement are honest emotional responses to the stressors of life from various sources. God isn’t telling Joshua, and us, to suppress these feelings. God wants us to carry them to God and lay them at His feet.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What does it look like for you to go into God’s presence? How does that time look like with God?