It’s the Objective, Not the Obstacle

The Israelites had come to the very brink of the Promised Land and were poised to enter in. So God commanded Moses to send in 12 spies to check things out and see what was ahead of them.

The men came back with a grape cluster that was so incredibly large, it took two of them to carry it. They told Moses, “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country—a land flowing with milk and honey. . . . But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!” (Numbers 13:27–28 NLT).

But Caleb, one of the 12 spies, saw things in a more positive light: “‘Let’s go at once to take the land,’ he said. ‘We can certainly conquer it!’” (verse 30 NLT).

Ten of the spies, however, spread negative reports. They said, “We can’t go up against them! . . . . The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there” (verses 31–32 NLT).

Twelve spies went in, but only two—Joshua and Caleb—gave an encouraging report. It all came down to how they looked at things. God had promised that He would give them the land. But the other spies didn’t see God for who He is. They ignored His words and only saw problems.

Meanwhile, Joshua and Caleb saw the same obstacles. But they also saw opportunities and great victories if they went into the land.

We all face obstacles, but can we see them in the light of who God is? When we fix our attention on the obstacles rather than on the objective, fear always will eclipse our faith. Don’t look at God in the light of your problem. Look at your problem in the light of God.