There are times in all of our lives when we face challenges, problems or battles that seem insurmountable and too big to handle.  Maybe it is a task that is demanding more than you think you have to give.  Or perhaps there is one too many things on your “to do” list, and you don’t have the energy to do it.  Unemployment might be staring you down.  Bills may have raided your bank account and left it empty.  An illness wears you down or a doctor’s diagnosis brings fear.  We could go on and on.

Those times come and sometimes life feels like a threatening storm.  Feelings of depression may creep in and you feel like running – hoping to somehow escape it all. 

The bigger the problem, the smaller you feel.  And that is not a bad place to be, provided that you can get your eyes off of yourself and onto God.  In those moments we need to hear God’s words; “Be strong and courageous.”  Repeatedly He told the Israelites that when they came back to the frontier of the Promised Land, forty years after their parents turned away in unbelief.  That first generation couldn’t see beyond the problems.  They were frightened over the potential battles that faced them.  They had “grasshopper faith” and only saw their own smallness rather than God’s greatness.

Joshua led the way into battle for the next generation of the children of Israel, confident that God was with them wherever they went.  In our lives we have the spiritual equivalent of a Joshua.  The New Testament equivalent of the name Joshua is “Jesus.”  He is our Savior and Deliverer.  He has promised to be with us always.  (Matthew 28:20)

Jesus knows how to lead us through battles because He has been through them himself while He was on earth.  His enemies attacked him with all kinds of accusations. (Mark 3:22)  He had no home or bed of his own. (Luke 9:58)  He had crowds with lots of expectations pressing in on him. (Luke 8:45) And, the religious leaders of his day eventually insured that he was sentenced to a brutal death. (Mark 15:14)

The writer of Hebrews says about Jesus; “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18)  Later Jesus is referred to as our “High Priest.”  But He is not one who is far removed from the realities of our lives.  Rather, Hebrews 4:15 says; “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.”

God’s Son went through all the suffering and testing of human life when he became one of us.  And so because of Jesus we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

So whatever you are going through, look to Jesus for courage and strength.  And in his name, go to the Father in prayer and find his all-sufficient grace for all that you need to face the battles of life.