"And Joshua said, 'Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this
people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to
destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the
Jordan!'" - Joshua 7:7
Have you
ever felt like you were doing what God wanted you to do, but your plans were
totally frustrated? This was how Joshua felt.
The Lord
had been with the people of Israel as they entered the Promised Land. They
defeated every enemy because of God's blessing and protection. They had just
taken the city of Jericho. The next battle was the city of Ai. They scouted the
enemy and determined it would require only 3,000 men to defeat them. They
attacked, and soon the reports came back that they were being routed. Joshua
could not understand this. He cried out to God asking why this was happening.
The Lord
said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel
has sinned; they have violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep.
They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,
they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites
cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they
have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you
destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction" (Joshua 7:10-12).
Whenever
we open ourselves up to sin, we become liable. God removes His protective
shield from our lives in order for the sin in our lives to be purged out. He
often uses the enemy of our souls to accomplish the task. If you feel you are
being thwarted in some way, examine your life to see if there is any sin that
is the cause of the problem. Adversity is not always due to sin, but it can be.
Ask Him. He will show you. As with Joshua, God immediately answered this prayer
when Joshua asked. He desires for His children to live in a right relationship
with Him.
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