And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?--Joshua 7:6-9
I can so relate to how Joshua is feeling here. Rending clothes, tearing hair, beating the breast, throwing dust upon the head and falling prostrate in the Bible are all signs of deep affliction and distress. Sometimes we just don't understand what God is doing....why something occurred or why the Lord "seemed" to help us one day and not the next. But God whose ways are not our ways and whose thoughts are not our thoughts "did it" differently. We complain against Him, question His motives, His abilities and even His Word.
This is where we find Joshua. He seems to have completely forgotten all the mighty wonders the Lord has done in the last 40 plus years. He seems to have forgotten what the Lord said to Him in the very first chapter of this book:
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, .... There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.--Joshua 1:2-4
I am so like Joshua...it is easy for me to trust God when things are going the way I think they should go...but when things begin to go south and not make sense, I can sound just like Joshua does here....full of doubt and overwhelmed by my circumstances. The Israelites had just had a major victory at Jericho, but had to turn tail and run from the men in Ai. The battle of Ai should have been an easy win. Unfortunately, there was unconfessed sin in the camp of Israel.
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.--Joshua 7:11-12
Israel's disobedience had grieved the Spirit of God, but Joshua, as their leader, had quenched the Spirit by not acknowledging the Lord in prayer before going into battle. It is so easy when coming off a major spiritual victory to forget God and go in your own strength. THAT is not what our God wants. He wants us to depend on Him at all times. Sadly for us, difficulties cause us to remember where our strength comes from more than the good times do. God desire and goal for us as we journey through this life is for us to be conformed to His image...to become like Him and reflect His glory.
Feeling happy...bring it to Him. Feeling helpless, fearful and overwhelmed....bring it to Him. Bring it all to Him. Fall at His feet and turn your heart upside down before Him. Surrender to His Spirit. and acknowledge Him in all your ways. Allow Him to be your Guide and direct your path always.
Father....When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I...
