Be Strong

"Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). When the way forward seems cloudy and uncertain, when circumstances in our personal lives or the world cause our faith to become shaky, or when we are given a task (as Joshua was in this bible passage) that challenges and scares us, God is with us.

This verse came to me as an answer to prayer this morning. Truthfully, my faith has not been strong lately, and I share that because I believe that we all have periods of doubt in our lives. Who is God, really? Is he a living being or an energy that pervades the universe? Does he/she really care personally about each one of us and if so, how can this be? Our finite minds cannot grasp the enormity of such a Being. 

When I am going through such periods of doubt and my conscious mind is driving me a bit crazy grappling with all these existential questions, I simply remember Psalm 46:10: "Be still and know that I am God". I focus on my breath for a few moments and silently repeat these words until a great calm fills me. I know that I cannot answer all the questions and doubts running through my head, but I can rest in these peaceful moments and trust in the assurances that we are given. I can be strong because I know that no matter how frightened I am, God is with me and if I just focus on the present moment and stop obsessively thinking, I will be given these gifts and more.

So: stop, breathe and be still.  Recharge and refuel in the silence. Go forward with courage, trusting that God is with us and will not leave us.