Overcome Failure

Joshua 7:6-9

6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

Quit School

Are you scared of failure? A newly installed pastor enrolled in a secular university in the hope to increase his circle of influence among students, and to have opportunity to share the gospel. His plan did not succeed as he assumed. The Lord allowed him to lose his enthusiasm and quit school.
Have you ever planned on something that you were very enthusiastic at first but along the way you lost your momentum? Why does God allow us not to succeed in our plans even when it appears like they are well-calculated plans?
At the conclusion of the book of Joshua, Joshua was pictured as one of the more successful leaders of Israel. Great and successful leaders like Joshua have their share of frustrations and fears along the way.

1. Frustration

6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads.

In the Old Testament, they normally tear their clothes as expression of grief and sorrow over a deplorable or terrible situation. Joshua and the elders lamented over the death of their fellow Israelites after they were defeated by the people of Ai. Not only that, everyone was melting in fear of what may happen.
Falling facedown and sprinkling of dust on their heads were expressions of humility. They humble themselves before the Lord. One commendable thing here is that Joshua and the elders did not blame anybody for their failure.
Is it a leadership character not to blame others for the failure of the group? Does it display a godly leadership character to humble before the Lord for failures instead of trying to justify failures? How do you normally react when something wrong happens to your plans? Do you normally blame others? Is it easy for you to humble yourself before the Lord?

7And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!

Joshua expressed frustration when he looked back to their life on the other side of the Jordan. Many among us would often think back to the best of our life in the past. Others would actually decide to go back to their previous lifestyle.
Frustration has crept into Joshua’s heart early in his leadership venture. Does it prove that Joshua has little understanding of the ways Lord? Does God allow frustrations for us not to be complacent? Does God allow frustrations for us not to be dependent much on our human efforts but to completely trust the Lord?
We have to trust the Lord as long as we are awake during hard times or not. Most often, when everything is going right, spiritual complacency prevails. Many believers may have no idea that we are spiritually at war in this world.
In Ephesians 6:12, 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil.

Church Membership

You might have heard this story. A Christian applied for membership in a local church. Some members opposed his application because the applicant frequently displayed non-Christian behavior whenever they play basketball. The intensity of winning a basketball game challenges spiritual maturity. Basketball game or any ordinary chores are avenues where Christian values are tested.
It says in Galatians 6:1-2, 1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Each of us is vulnerable to temptation. God allows frustrations and fears to affect us to remind us that we the Lord at all times. Joshua was great leader but he also had his share of frustrations and fears.

2. Fear

8Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

Fear of the future overwhelmed Joshua. He did not expect that a smaller group of people would defeat them. He asked for forgiveness when expressed negativism of what the Canaanites might do to them. He asked for forgiveness because he failed to understand what the Lord would do for His great name.
Joshua was concerned of what happens to the Israelite community. He did not try to lay out strategy on how to conquer the city of Ai. He and the elders humbled themselves before the Lord and committed their future to the Lord.
It says in Proverbs 16:3, 3Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”

Many church leaders and ordinary believers are confused about this verse. Normally, they lay out their plans and then pray that God would bless their plans. The verse says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do,” and that’s the first step, then wait for the Lord to give you His plan. Don’t’ ask the Lord to bless your plan. Ask the Lord to put His plans in our heart, plans from the Lord not from you.
Many church plans fail because we are tempted to copy the plans of others and then ask the Lord bless the plan we copied. It is insulting to the Lord, why? It limits His creativity. Can God give us a very unique plan especially for us only?

It says in Proverbs 16:9, 9In the hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
It says in Proverbs 19:21, 21Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Other Reason

Earlier, we heard that the pastor who enrolled in secular university quit and what was the reason? The pastor was new and he wanted to impress the church leaders by bringing more people to the church. His plan was not to glorify the Lord but to glorify himself and to build his reputation as great pastor.

Many among us have similar mindset. Success in the eyes of humans is not necessarily the success the Lord wants us to experience, why?
Our question is: Would the Lord be given praise when a plan succeeds?

Joshua did the right move when he committed to the Lord his frustration and fear after they were defeated by the people of Ai. They were victorious over Jericho when they listened to the Lord’s instruction. But when they decided to go ahead followed the people suggestion to send 3,000 men to Ai, they expected victory but they were defeated.

As believers, God would allow us to fail each time we become complacent in our spiritual life for us realize that we always need to seek guidance from the Lord before we decide on doing anything, why? God wants us to experience more of His grace, and that His plan for us is the best kind of life designed for us.

God our Creator has designed the best life for each us. Not everyone is created to be financially successful. Others are successful in other aspects of life.
It says in Jeremiah 29:11, 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

The word “prosper” is not necessarily about finances but properly understood as “peace of mind.” The Lord has plan for us. Don’t pray that God would bless your plan. Instead ask God for His perfect plan for you.
The Lord would bless His perfect plan. He does not bless plans that originated from humans, why? Plans that originated from human are wicked in the eyes of the Lord. Human plans glorify humans. God’s plans glorify the Lord.

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