“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
These words have been ringing in my ears for several months. In almost every situation this verse jumps to the forefront and I gain some new insight or hope from it. I have had this verse up in my office at work and on a wall at home for years, but it was always just a nice sentiment. Then, last spring, my colleague and I began discussing what direction we wanted to take Sierra Towers, the men’s dorm at La Sierra University. We wanted a key theme or verse to tie it together. We gave ourselves the task to go home and think about which verses to bring up and we would diligently and prayerfully pick. I came back with just this one verse.
While my colleague had a few himself, he quickly heard the conviction and passion in my voice and told me not to even bother, we had found our verse. Since then, Joshua 1:9 has taken on so much meaning in my life and I see it translating into the culture of the residence hall. It continues to inspire and push me further into this messy world that we call life. This verse is a prayer, a rallying cry, a plea, and an inspiration.
I view it in three parts:
- Be strong and courageous. This is not a goal for us to achieve or a wish to grow these in our lives. I realized that this is a state of being. God has already placed within us strength and courage beyond what we believe is in us. God calls us to use what is already inside us as we navigate this world.I mentioned a messy world, and we see it every day. I mentor my residents that sometimes the strength and courage we need are to live by our values. To know that this may not be the popular opinion or direction the world is going in either extreme, but it is an honest portrayal of ourselves and the world we are trying to create.
- Do not be afraid or discouraged. This world isn’t just messy but scary as well. Life comes with moments of paralyzing fear and debilitating sorrow. It is not wrong to feel these emotions, but we shouldn’t live dictated by them.God calls us into a full life. This includes the highs and unfortunately the lows. We, however, have a choice on how we are to live. We can live in fear, or we can grow our faith to overwhelm our fear. We can wallow in sorrow or we can experience the sadness for the season, and grow through the experience to the fullness that God calls us to.
- For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Through the times we need strength and courage, through the times we feel afraid or discouraged, no matter for how long or where we are, God is with us. God does not send us out on this journey by ourselves but walks in step next to us. God cheers us on when we stand up in strength and courage. God cradles us when we feel fear and discouragement. God does not leave us for even a moment. You are never alone.
So where have I put Joshua 1:9 to use in my own life? Everywhere.
I have repeated it over and over when I had to prepare for a difficult conversation at work. You know the type of conversation that brings about anxiety and knots in your stomach. I spoke it softly to myself when I had to have a challenging conversation with a friend about the tensions in our friendship. I have spoken it over the life of a former student going through heartache after the ending of a long-term relationship. Sometimes it is simply used as a reminder on those mornings the covers grasp a little tighter and getting out of bed to go to work is that much harder.
So how will you live this life that God has blessed you with? While filled with many twists and turns, many highs and lows, will you live in faith? Will you live with strength and courage? How would your life be different if you lived by Joshua 1:9 every day?