But I can’t do it

There are times when God asks us to do what seems impossible.  Maybe it’s a task that seems too big for us.  Or maybe it’s a sin in our lives we’re struggling with. 

As a result, we say, “I’m sorry God.  I just can’t do it.  I can’t fight this battle.  It’s too big for me.  I can’t achieve this task.  It’s too much for me.”

That’s what the Israelites did. 

God told them to drive out all the people from the land of Canaan, but because the task was too difficult, they didn’t.

I kind of wonder how hard they actually tried.  Did they try to drive them out and were utterly defeated?  Or did they just give a token effort and then give up?

I kind of guess it was the latter.  They saw the difficulties, maybe tried an attack, and when things didn’t go well, they just gave up.

And so God told them,

I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers.

I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’

Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? (2:1-2)

God certainly didn’t accept their excuses.  Why not?  Because he had promised to be with them and help them drive out the people.

This was the God who had torn the walls of Jericho down before their eyes. 

This was the God who had sent hail down to destroy their enemies so that more were killed by the hail than the Israelite swords. 

This was the God who had given them the strategy needed to defeat Ai.

But now the Israelites complained, “They have iron chariots.  We can’t defeat them.”  “They’re determined to fight and stay in the land.  We can’t drive them out.”

Instead of focusing on how big God was, and asking for his help, they focused on how small they were, and what they couldn’t do.  And as a result, they disobeyed God.

How about us?  When we face problems in our lives, how do we respond?

When God asks us to take on a task that’s bigger than we are, do we obey, relying on Him to help us?  Or do we just say, “It’s impossible” and give up before we even try.

Or do we just give a token effort and say, “Well, I tried and I failed.  Too bad.”

God will not accept those excuses because he is with us.  He never asks us to do anything without offering to help us. 

So let’s focus not on what we can’t do, but on what God can do.  And let’s obey him.