Peace follows obedience

If you wait until you feel like obeying God, you never will. The feelings follow the obedience.

This modus operandi works when we obey the Lord about anything.

Feelings have little to do with obeying Jesus.  The majority of God's people gave in to their "feelings" of fear and dread at the end of wandering in the desert for 40 years.  Finally they could see the end of their long journey!  All they had to do was cross over into the Promised Land and they would receive all that God had promised them.

What held them back?  Fear.  

There are giants in the land! They chose to focus on what could go wrong, what may or may not happen if they entered in - those giants were huge!  What if they killed us?  What if they enslaved us?  They must have painted all the worst-case scenarios and they let those "what ifs" keep them from moving forward into the land of plenty - the land flowing with milk and honey. 

Joshua and Caleb saw things differently.  They knew that God was with them always!  They knew that if God provided something for them that He would actually make a way for them to receive it!  Why would God say, "Here is the land I promised you.  Go and enter in!"  only to kill or enslave them?!  It makes no sense.

"And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, 'The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection is gone from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.'”  Numbers 14:6-9

But fear never does make sense.  You may know the acronym:

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Things are seldom as they appear though, are they?  For any of us who have ever faced any giants at all, we can look back after the fact and realize that it wasn't so bad after all.  Our fears are often much worse than what we actually go through.

Joshua and Caleb may have felt just as much fear as the rest.  But they chose to focus on God instead.  God told them straight out, "Be strong and courageous!  For I AM with you!"  

That was God's only reason for telling them to be strong and courageous - He promised to be with them.

We, too, can be strong and courageous knowing that God is with us through it all.  Through battles, through drought, through our "land of giants," whatever we are facing.  

Is that all we need?  What about money?  What about protection?  What about food?  What about failure?

These are just a few of the many fears we can feel when stepping into unknown territory.  Now mind you, God showed them just how rich the Promised Land was.  But He also allowed the giants to be there!  

We want the Promised Land without the giants!  We want the "good life" without the threat of danger.  We want Eden now.  

But since the fall, there is no perfect Eden any more.  At least not yet.  

One day, the Lord will restore everything to us and His world will be as Eden once more - perfect, without sin, without all of the horrible stuff we're used to now in the fallen state of the world.

But for now!  Oy!

So God still offers us a Promised Land here and now, but not without problems.  That's just how it is this side of heaven.

Does that mean we "settle" for less?  Does that mean we stay with what is comfortable to us, even if it is a dry, hot, fruitless desert?  

As I write these words, I am writing to myself, really, this time.  I believe the Lord is calling me into His Promised Land for me, but I am reasoning, I am fearful, I am going by past events that did not turn out so well for me - projecting the same ahead of me - and it is paralyzing me.  So why am I "staying" here?!

This I know:  that though I have been through many trials and tribulations, the Lord has always been with me.  He has not left me for even a millisecond.  And He never will leave me.

I guess I need to come to grips with this:  is that enough?  Is the Presence of Christ in and with me enough to make me leave all that is comfortable and "secure" and walk with Him into the Promised Land - knowing that giants are sure to meet me there?!

Bottom line:  no matter the size or quantity of the giants in our Promised Land, if God is telling us to go, we must go.  We don't have to go - the choice is always ours to make.  

But what are we missing by disobeying?  By giving into our feelings of fear and doubt?  

We will not know unless we step out in faith!  

Will I shrink back in fear - clinging to the familiar?  (at least it is known - no matter if it is not fulfilling God's destiny for me) Or will I go forward into God's Promised Land for me knowing that though there be giants, God is not only with me but for me?

Oh Lord.  Some who are reading this may be facing the same dilemma - will they choose to follow You into the Promised Land or remain "comfortable?"  Lord, if we choose comfort over obeying You, we lose - if not immediately, then in the long run.  Help us, Lord, to be strong and courageous in whatever You ask of us, wherever You lead us.  For You know the beginning from the end, Lord!  You see all that lies ahead - both globally and for us personally.  I pray for Your peace whenever I do that which feels hard to do, as Your signal to me that when I obey You, You will never fail me.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.