SCRIPTURE:
25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.
8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”
Joshua 7:25-8:2
OBSERVATION:
The sinning and stoning of Achan was a traumatic event in the nation of Israel early on in their conquest of taking the Promised Land. Because Achan stole a robe, silver, and gold, God’s victory did not fall upon Israel. Rather than win what was supposed to be an easy and decisive battle against Ai resulted in the loss of 3,000 men. God guided Joshua to lead well and to repent, and Joshua, as leader, decisively dealt with Achan and his family stoning him to death. Imagine what the Israelites were going through––the grief of losing 3,000 sons, the doubt of whether this small nation would be able to win Canaan, and the anger against the sinfulness of one greedy man. What a huge blow to this small nation.
Yet, right after this traumatic event, God speaks to Joshua––”Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” God Himself, in His ultimate goodness, not only reminds Joshua of what He said. God tells Joshua again the same exact words He keeps repeating––”Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”––reassuring Joshua that His presence is still here and that His promise still stands. After traumatic events, stop to hear God speak, and if He does not, remember what He said last, for God’s promise still stands.
APPLICATION:
Traumatic events are never desired. They often leave us feeling worried, doubtful, and maybe even afraid. However, even in the midst of traumatic events, God is still gracious, still good, still loving, and still forgiving––for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). In these traumatic times, there are many voices competing for our attention. However, above this noise––from others, from the voices in our heads, and even from the enemy––there is one voice whom we need to hear from: God’s.
After traumatic experiences, listen desperately for the voice of God, for He will speak. Let His voice lead you, guide you, and help you make sense of the destruction of the enemy. For while sin and shortcomings may have led to loss, the enemy’s destruction is never the end of the story. Find hope in God and fight with all your heart, soul, and mind to tune your ears to hear His voice. Stop to listen, for God will speak. And if all you hear is silence, remember what He last said.
God is still God in traumatic events. God will never leave His people nor forsake His people because He promised to stay with us always. In and through traumatic events, lean on God, remember what He said, and listen for His every word, for through all of it, He is still good, and even if circumstances may suggest otherwise, He will work all things––even traumatic experiences––for good (Rom. 8:28).
PRAYER:
Lord,
Thank You for Your love, Your grace, Your dependability, Your reliability, and Your forgiveness. God, I pray no traumatic event may come my way, and I pray for protection over my family, my church, and myself. However, in the event that trouble comes my way, be my strength. Enable me to yield to You unequivocally. May Your Spirit in me overcome any and all attacks of the enemy. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. You are Lord––have Your way in me.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
