It was now the thirty-second day.
He was lonely, tired, bored and extremely hungry. A screeching eagle had just circled round the clear cloudless sky above. Joshua adjusted his posture so as to be a bit more comfortable on the rock he was lying on. Instantly, he wished he hadn’t. A searing pain jolted through his back…
What was taking his master so long? Joshua’s emotions were now bordering on depression. He cast his mind back to the cold nights and hot afternoons of the past days on the mountain. He knew he had the psychological toughness to survive his current ordeals. Compared to slavery in Egypt, this was paradise! So, to while away time, Joshua closed his eyes again to recount how everything started thirty-two days ago…
“And Moses rose up AND HIS MINISTER JOSHUA, and Moses went up into the mount of God” (Exodus 24 vs 13)
[Exodus 32 vs 17-18 also proves that Joshua too climbed the Mount of God, though, it’s very likely that Moses climbed to a higher level than Joshua].
Life had been hard for Joshua. Yes, he became Israel’s leader. But that was after process had taken place. A lot of it! In fact, many of us today can’t live with what Joshua had to live with:
Psychological and physical turmoil of loneliness while Moses was enjoying God’s Presence on the same mountain. Not for a day or two. But forty whole days! It could have been longer had it not been that Israel rose up ‘to play’.
However, the zeal for God was there, and soon, Joshua also started basking in God’s Presence, having a relationship with Him (Exodus 33 vs 11).
When the time came to spy the Promised Land, Caleb and Joshua were the only spies that brought a positive report. But guess who got most of God’s public accolades? Caleb!
Normally, this should have bred bitterness in Joshua’s heart. But converse was the case. Instead, he served God with even more vigour, winning countless battles for the Lord, under Moses’ leadership.
Finally, it was time to pass the baton of leadership. And God picked Joshua to lead His People. Joshua eventually got due recognition for his patient travails for God. He went on to conqueur and divide the Promised Land.
Tough times don’t last.
Tough people do.
There’s every chance that the bigger your life purpose, the more preparation God allows you to go throuph. That ‘wilderness’ experience would only bring out God’s best in you. The beauty of gold is seen after it has passed through the processing fire of affliction.
Possess your process now and watch how smoothly you’d progress into the next step of fulfiling purpose!