Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Once when I was living in the Pacific Northwest, the sun only came out seven times in the first one hundred days of the year. It was a cold, dark, drizzly winter. The effects of living away from the sunshine are well document. It’s bad for you. Beyond just simple vitamin D, we want to feel the warmth on our skin, see the reflections and shadows of the world around us, and appreciate the beauty of a sunset.
All of this was blocked by overcasting rain clouds, but this didn’t mean that the sun was gone. Since you were about 8 months-old you knew that just because you couldn’t see something doesn’t mean it ceased to exist. The sun still did it’s thing, turning hydrogen into helium. And objectively, you know the sun will be there when the clouds break, but at times it can feel like the sun may never come out again.
This happens in our faith as well; things are going fine and then the clouds roll in. The clouds of work stress, family drama, health stuff, or any of uncountable number of things that can make us feel lost and alone. The book of Joshua reminds us the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
This was a stressful time for the nation of Israel Moses, who has been leading them since they left slavery in Egypt, has just died, and God is calling Joshua, his assistant, to take on the leadership role. This situation is filled with stress! Joshua just lost a friend/mentor/leader, and in the midst of dealing with that lost he has people looking to him to make tough decisions and lead.
It is in the times when the clouds feel the darkest that we need to remind ourselves that the sun is still out there. When we feel mired and buried in stress, we can know that God is still out there. God still loves us. God is still with us in the midst of it. It is all too easy these days to just see the clouds that surround us, take a moment to remind yourself of the sun that is there no matter what you face.
The sun may come out tomorrow!