One Step at a Time
Joshua 21:43–45
43 Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. 44 And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Life is filled with ups and downs. Sometimes things go the way we want, and we are happy, but there are also seasons of setbacks, discouragement, and even suffering. We know that for those who love God all things work together for good (Romans 8:28), but in the middle of trials it is not always easy to believe that, or even to understand it. It is in those moments that we must resist the temptation to become overwhelmed by the troubles of the day. Instead, we must zoom out and look at the bigger picture. God is at work in our lives, and he has clear and specific purposes. He will use our trials to help us grow, and in the end it will all be for our good, even if it feels unbearable today.
There are several chapters in the book of Joshua, specifically chapters 13–21, that describe the distribution of the Promised Land to each tribe of Israel. As I was reading this long section, I realized how much detail it contains about specific towns, regions, and people. They were real people, just like us, hoping and waiting to receive the promises of God. Yet the process was filled with ups and downs, victories and defeats, obedience and rebellion.
The land was not given to them all at once. They had to fight for it, but when they trusted and depended on God, they made progress. It was disheartening whenever they failed and were defeated, but in the end, “Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45).
The animated image above illustrates the assignment of the land to each tribe. It takes only a few seconds to watch the inheritance of every tribe unfold, but the account spans several chapters in the book of Joshua and covers a long period of real time. As I watch, in just a few moments, how God fulfilled his promises, I am encouraged in my own journey.
It may feel slow at times. It may even feel dreadful. But when I step back and see the bigger picture, and by faith believe that one day I will look back and recount at once the unfolding of the events that converged into the fulfilled promises of God, I take heart and run with endurance, patience, peace, and even joy the race set before me—one step at a time.