Have you ever had to clean up a mess you didn’t create? Did someone else’s problem become your problem and by association you were negatively affected? Maybe right now you’re dealing with something that wasn’t your fault, but it is your reality. It’s not fair, but it’s for real yours now and what you do with it from here matters.
God sees how you’re carrying this. He knows the details and he hasn’t overlooked you in the middle of this. You may be part of a group affected, but you will be singled out in accordance to your individual actions and attitude. Here’s how I know, it’s in our Bible.
Last week in episode #1903 titled “Hey, That’s Me” we studied the story of Caleb who waited for God’s promise for 45 years, then he walked in the Promised Land. And after all those years of waiting, he declared in Joshua 14: 10-12, “The Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these 45 years since Moses made this promise – even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am 85 years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me.”
Do you remember why he had to wait for 45 years to step into his promise? Because of someone else! He was delayed because of someone else’s disobedience. Someone else’s failure created a problem for him, and that problem lasted from the time he was 40 to the time he was 85.
Back up a bit and Caleb explains the delay. Verse 7-8, “I was 40 years old when Moses, the servant of the Lord, sent me to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.”
Caleb went as 1 of 12 spies chosen by Moses to check out the land God had promised them. There they saw a beautiful and blessed land overflowing with abundance, inhabited to giant people. When the 12 spies returned to give their report, 10 of them focused on how huge their enemies were and spread fear among the people. Caleb and Joshua acknowledged the truth of how big their enemies were, but they were grounded in faith reminding everyone of God’s promise. Numbers 14: 8, “They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
But the people ignored the faith filled report of Caleb and Joshua, and listened only to the fear spread by the other 10 spies. They refused to move forward and cowered in forfeit. Yes, they forfeited what God had promised. The Israelites were left to wander in the wilderness for over 40 years.
Caleb and Joshua couldn’t conquer the land on their own, so they too were stuck. Imagine for a moment how frustrating this must have been. They knew God had promised them victory, they knew the way had already been made, they knew everything they could ever dream of was right there waiting for them, but they couldn’t enter because of the unbelief and fear of everyone else.
Everyone else’s problem became their problem. They were in a mess they didn’t create. And that mess lasted for 45 years. 45 years of wandering in a wilderness the two men of faith didn’t choose. 45 years of being surrounded by people who’s lack of faith kept them from walking in the fullness of their own faith. 45 years of life passed where they didn’t get to live in the abundance God had promised because of the choice of others.
But does Caleb sound bitter here? Does he sound pitiful? No. He sounds positive. He sounds powerful. He sounds ready!
You can be pitiful or you can be powerful, but you can’t be both. Caleb chose power. And today, God says to his girls,