God has a plan for your life. It has always existed and will not change. As you walk with The Lord through life, he will guide you in his plan. The thoughts of trying to fulfill God's plan or will for your life can be overwhelming, but it does not need to be. We do not need to find God's will, we just need to follow it. The most difficult part of that is to endure the battles that will oppose God's will.
Joshua was a man who knew what it was like to follow God. During his life time, he led God's people into the promised land, but not without difficulty. Many have analyzed Joshua to determine what leadership qualities he had. In my opinion, Joshua's greatest quality by far was being strong and courageous.
There is not any skill required to be strong and courageous nor does it take any great knowledge and understanding. A person is strong when they fasten upon, bind or cleave themselves to something. For Joshua, he held to what God wanted him to do and would not allow himself to be swayed. Joshua's courage was displayed by his mind being fortified or established to The Lord. In short to be strong and courageous is to be unswayed emotionally and mentally. Joshua displayed this countless times as he led God's people to conquer the cities of the promised land.
We too must be strong and of good courage. We must keep ourselves from being moved emotionally on mentally away from The Lord. Our battles are all spiritual ones. Therefore, we must fortify or gird up the loins of our minds to be courageous (1 Peter 1:13) and withstand the attacks of the enemy (1 Corinthians 15:58). Everyone is required to be strong and courageous and every one can be.
You can enable yourself to accomplish this by remembering what the Lord has already done for you and by fellowshipping with him. When attacks come, you will be forced to decide whether to believe The Lord or the enemy. Therefore bath yourself daily in God's word and pour your heart out before him in prayer. The battle will rage and be difficult, but remember, the battle is the Lord's. we are not required to bring the victory or even determine how the victory should be won. We are required to be strong and courageous.
When my son was little, I took him to a small kid's amusement park. Some friends talked him into riding the roller coaster. As his car whizzed past me, I could see that he was terrified. So, I waited for him at the end of the ride in case he needed my help. When I asked him how the ride was and was he afraid, he stated with great confidence that it was nothing and that he hadn't been afraid at all. I chuckle as I think of it. That is how I am as I go through the trials in life: I white knuckle through the experience, but look back as if it were nothing. Being strong and courageous does not mean you will never have fear, it simply means that the fear will not stop you from trusting The Lord.
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