Four Reminders to Finding Courage
How do we find courage in grief? How can we move on from loss? Bro. Chris shares four promises that God is with us in grief.
Scripture: Joshua 1:1-6, 21:43-45
When grief strikes, it takes a lot of courage to keep going. Regardless of the type of loss, sometimes you become overwhelmed with the "Can't Chant." It's the overwhelming spirit of defeat that says you can't get through this, things can't get better, and your life can't get back on track. It comes about when we focus, mentally and spiritually, all of our energies on magnifying the obstacles in front of us.
Let me offer you some hope before we go too far. God understands your grief. This type of grief is not uncommon to many of us, and we are well aware of its struggle to overcome. In today's scripture, we're met at the very onset with grief and loss.
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshuason of Nun, Moses’ aide: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.’” (Joshua 1:1-2)
At that moment, Joshua is overcome with grief and loss. Not only did he lose his mentor, but God also called him to an unimaginable task. God instructs Joshua to get His people ready to cross the Jordan and move from the wilderness to the Promised Land.
The Israelites were wandering the desert for 40 years on their way to the Promised Land. Have you seen someone who emerges from a weekend camping trip? Now, imagine 40 years. They were tired and weary. I'm sure they had doubts that they'd ever see the day their grief journey would end. Have you wondered if you’d ever see the end of your grief journey?
Sometimes we have to stop and say, Lord, we've been stuck for too long. We say that we're waiting on God, but sometimes we fear moving on. We have excuses for staying stuck rather than moving beyond the wilderness, representing the defeated Christian life. We hear excuses every day, and the devil is always ready to supply them. The adversary will offer us thousands to stay away from living the Promised Land life, which represents not only heaven, but the victorious Christian life, a life filled with joy, hope, and peace.
When you're on the brink of the wilderness and God is calling you into a new season, He is going to ask courage from you that many would never willingly choose. That's when opportunities of faith take over. If we look at our passage, Joshua saw his chance: Cross the Jordan River and receive their inheritance, the Promised Land. Inheritance is an important thing in the economy of God, and to receive it, we have to take big acts of courage.
“‘Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.’” (Joshua 1:6)
What promises does God make for those who take courage in trials?
Four Promises God Makes to Those Who Take Courage
1) God is a Giver
It is God's nature to bless His children. Before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land, it's important to remember that God doesn't say anything about earning or purchasing this land. He doesn't say He might give it to them. He's very straightforward that this is a gift for his people.
God wants to give us courage when we're stuck in the wildernesses of our lives. It takes courage to walk out of a place where you're stuck. So we need to pray that God would give us a compelling desire to get out of these places of grief and heartache, and sometimes that's a mighty challenge on its own.
2) God is an Extender
“‘Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.’” (Joshua 1:4)
Have you been stretched beyond your means in this wilderness season? Don't despise that; You'll never grow. It's okay to be sad, and even Jesus took time to grieve. But as you heal, make it your prayer, as contradicting as it sounds, that God would stretch you where you need to be stretched. It's in this space of being stretched that you'll find the courage to move into the Promised Land.
Things to Ask God For:
Increase my strength not to be overtaken by pain.
Increase my insight to face this situation.
Increase my intellect to understand what's happened.
Increase my intimacy with you, Lord.
3) God is a Defender
"‘No one will be able to stand against youall the days of your life.’” (Joshua 1:5)
Romans 8:31 tells us that if God is for us, none can be against us. We need that kind of courage. That's the kind of courage that says I don't care if I fail because the only thing that matters is being obedient and faithful to God.
We're not acting in faith when we wait for God to promise us a positive outcome. Instead, we have to take the good with the bad. It takes courage to keep going in the face of grief and loss. But God says He will defend and surround you with righteous favor in times of trials.
4) God is a Caretaker
We just saw where God would be your defender, but not only will he defend you, He will also care for and carry you. He will be your strength when you don't have any. He will be your guide when you are lost. He promises to heal, anoint, and help us.
We are not a self-improvement project where we're trying to do this independently. We are yielded and surrendered vessels that God says whoever will turn their life over to me, I will be the strength of your heart and your portion forever.
No matter how defeated you feel in the depths of your soul today, God has more for you. No matter what you're going through, God has not changed his mind about your inheritance. He has one for each of us.
Even, many Christians view their conversion as something like a carwash. You go in a filthy clunker, and you come out with your sins washed away, a cleansed clunker. Conversion is more than the removal of sin; It is a deposit of power, the power of God's love, hope, and joy. It's the power of His joy. We don't manufacture it, we just receive it, and God keeps pumping it into His people.
When we're in these wilderness seasons, it seems there's nothing we can do to help ourselves. Maybe you think that you are made for the wilderness. It can seem despairing, but it is a gift that God brings us to that place. No matter how gifted, skilled, or accomplished we are, salvation is a gift. To receive it, though, requires coming to God. The pressure is off, though; You don't have to prove yourself to get God. He's already decided He was going to love you. It's an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade that is kept in heaven for us.
TL;DR
Grief can seem impossible to leave in times of hardship.
It takes courage and abandoning excuses to move on. This courage may be more than we ever thought we were capable of having.
God has four promises to those who chose courage in Him: He will be a Giver, Extender, Defender and Caretaker.
When you take courage in your circumstances and the things God is calling you to, He will lead you to you inheritance, the Promised Land.
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Choosing a Grateful Heart by Bro. Chris Carter
Finding Peace in New Beginnings by Rev. Shane Stanford
About Christ Church Memphis
Christ Church Memphis is church in East Memphis, Tennessee. For more than 65 years, Christ Church has served the Memphis community. Every weekend, there are multiple worship opportunities including traditional, contemporary and blended services.
