Looking for solutions

By Rob Hurtgen

Fear is powerful. Fear can paralyze and push. Fear can blind us to the resources we already have and possibilities before us. That spirit of fear is what Joshua, the successor to Moses, needed to face down in the people he led.

In the book of Joshua (Chapter 17) lands are being divided among the Hebrew tribes. One tribe and their thousands of people were to settle between this boundary and that one. Another tribe was to live between these two borders. Everyone was given a place. The families of Joseph, however, did not appreciate the land they were to settle. They wanted to be certain that Joshua understood the difficulty they faced.

Perhaps he did not understand how many people they had, but the land they were assigned was much too small for their population. Maybe he did not realize how dangerous this land was. Their neighbors in the valley were big, strong and had iron chariots. In fact, all the villages surrounding the valley had technological advances beyond their own. Their argument was very simple: "We don't have enough, and what we do have is out of date. ... The challenge is too big. Don't you know whom your dealing with?"

Joshua was unfazed. He reminded them their land also included the hilly countryside and they had the manpower to clear the trees. He reminded them the Lord was on their side in dealing with the threats they feared.

How often do we look at our condition in life and, like Eeyore, the donkey in Winnie the Pooh, glumly sit back and say, "Why bother." God has given every resource you need to accomplish what he has placed in front of you. You, like the people who only saw faults, need to look and see opportunity.

When we intentionally look for solutions to the obstacles with the resources we already have we will see opportunities where only disaster appeared. God has given you all the resources you need to accomplish what he has called you to.