We Can Do It

"Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Numbers 13:30 NKJV

I know how difficult it is in certain situations to keep fighting or just hope that things will change and find a positive solution. Above all, don't lose your cool, which is essential to keeping control of what is happening. Upon returning from Canaan, the spies' report causes a state of agitation among the people. Caleb becomes an example of someone who strives to maintain calm and, driven by faith, does not back down from anything. He declares himself certain that the undertaking will succeed. There are no insurmountable obstacles for a true leader! In the story of Numbers, we see how a single word can build or destroy, instill courage or sow fear. This is why we need those who proclaim the Word, instilling hope and not illusions, those who nourish our possibilities rather than continually making us feel incapable and submissive. Caleb's attitude allows us to think big and create possibilities for others as well. Specifically, he asserted, “We can do it very well,” aware that the battle belonged to the Lord. In our service, we must remember that we never fight a personal war, and every time we eliminate the label “impossible,” we move to a level of potential far beyond the norm. Not because we are capable, but because God will add His to our abilities.

Walt Disney said, “The difference between a dream and a goal is just the date.” Writer John Andrew Holmes said, “Never tell a young person that something cannot be done. God may have been waiting for centuries for someone ignorant enough of the impossible to do it.” When God enters the picture, then truly anything becomes possible. We should stay away from those who tend to crush people's dreams, because they instill insecurity rather than courage, like the ten spies who sowed distrust among the people of Israel. Jesus assured us, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20). Dreams need action, they need to be declared and lived. Those who have a vision or a dream must get off the “couch” of doing nothing and start working, as Nehemiah did when he fearlessly decided that the walls of Jerusalem had to be rebuilt. And he saw it through to the end, encountering opposition from some, but having the approval of the king and, above all, the certainty of God's will. If this can also be applied to the working and material world, I believe that my task is to motivate people to Christian service.

It is not what we do in time that matters, but the quality of what we do. Sometimes we plan activities for the future, but we should instead appreciate the value not of the number of days, but of the use we make of them. Scripture reminds us that one day in the courts of the Lord's house is better than a thousand elsewhere (Psalm 84:10), which is why it is essential that our service be directed toward that spiritual world that gives meaning to our lives as believers. Mistakes will certainly be made, but what matters is learning from every experience, whether victorious or unsuccessful. Those who want to improve themselves learn from every experience and also rely on the discernment of others, assimilating their experiences. But we can only learn from experience if we are able to focus our thoughts. To focus them, it is necessary to eliminate distractions and mental clutter so that we can concentrate on something and think with our renewed minds. To do this, we need to understand what our goal is. A good idea can become a great idea when we take the time to focus on it. While an immature mind jumps from one thing to another, a mature mind seeks to accomplish what the Lord has inspired.

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Weekly Bible Reading Plan #43

October 20, Isaiah 59-61; 2 Thessalonians 3

October 21, Isaiah 62-64; 1 Timothy 1

October 21, Isaiah 65-66; 1 Timothy 2

October 22, Jeremiah 1-2; 1 Timothy 3

October 23, Jeremiah 3-5; 1 Timothy 4

October 24, Jeremiah 6-8; 1 Timothy 5

October 25, Jeremiah 9-11; 1 Timothy 6