Don’t Be Discouraged

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Deuteronomy 31:8

THIS IS ONE of those promises in the Bible that appears at first to apply only to the people of Israel. After all, it was spoken to them by Moses as they planned to conquer the land of Canaan.

Nonetheless, God rarely speaks to only one person or one group of people in his Word. His truth is to all people, in all ages. Some might make a case that this promise pertains to only one group of people in one place; the truth is that this is a verse we can all trust, because its truth is repeated throughout Scripture. God does promise to go ahead of us and behind us, around us and within us, at all times. It’s not like he can be caught off guard or sleeping when something bad happens to you. He is still there, watching, ready to guide and help and protect no matter what.

Sometimes when you look to the future, you see only the logical culmination of the problems you have now, and it’s not a pretty picture. Do you ever wonder if God will be there, if your future is secure? Take this promise and trust it. God is giving you his full attention. He knows what’s ahead, how to bring you through every trial, and how to get you to his heaven intact, without blame, and full of joy. Practice the presence of Jesus in the now—it will make it easier to visualize by faith his going ahead of you into a bright future.