What strategies can we use to trust God when facing persistent challenges? The Context: Persistent Canaanites and Persistent Faith “Yet the descendants of Manasseh were unable to drive out the people of these cities, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in this land.” (Joshua 17:12) The tribe’s lingering opponents picture the stubborn challenges we face: illnesses that linger, temptations that refuse to leave, relationships that remain strained. God’s land was theirs by promise, yet the Canaanites’ determination tested their trust. Our strategy for trusting God looks much the same. Strategy 1: Remember God’s Unchanging Promises • God never retracts what He pledges. “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? … the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) • Personalize promises: write them, speak them, pray them. • Return to them when circumstances shout the opposite. Strategy 2: Stay Engaged in the Fight, One Step at a Time • Manasseh eventually drove out the enemy (Joshua 17:13). Progress often comes gradually. • Take today’s obedience step—no matter how small. • Celebrate incremental victories; they foreshadow complete deliverance. Strategy 3: Lean into God’s Presence, Not Your Own Strength • “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5–6) • Admit weakness; invite His sufficiency. • Turn anxious self-talk into God-focused worship. Strategy 4: Nourish Your Heart with Scripture • Schedule daily intake—read, listen, memorize. • Let truth correct feelings: “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5) • Use verse cards during flare-ups of worry. Strategy 5: Let Community Encourage Your Perseverance • Manasseh fought beside Ephraim; we fight beside believers. • Share struggles transparently; receive prayer and counsel. • Join or start a small group centered on Scripture and mutual support. Strategy 6: Rehearse God’s Past Faithfulness • Keep a gratitude journal of answered prayers. • Retell past rescues to family and friends. • Remember: the God who opened the Jordan (Joshua 3) still parts waters. Strategy 7: Yield Weakness to Christ’s Power • “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) • Stop resisting your need; start welcoming His strength. • Expect God to display Himself where you feel least capable. Wrapping Up: Holding the Line Until the Victory • Persistent challenges refine endurance: “You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36) • Trials mature faith (James 1:2-4) and showcase God’s glory (Romans 8:31-32). • Keep promises in view, stay in the fight, lean on His presence, and trust that the same Lord who guaranteed the land will one day sweep away every last Canaanite in your life. |
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