Remembering God’s Faithfulness in Hard Times as You Lead Your Family
- meetgodattheedgeof
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Joshua 4:21-23
[21] Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ [22] Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ [23] For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over.
Today I woke up with a different view of the world—one I haven’t seen in a while.
I know we’ve touched on this before, but the verses above from Book of Joshua are simply powerful. They speak directly into my purpose as a father and husband—the leader of my family.
When I get smacked in the face by a hardship, my whole family feels it. Sure, I take the brunt of it, but I also carry the responsibility of knowing where to turn. I’ve learned that remembering God’s faithfulness in hard times is what steadies me and helps me lean into the Lord instead of trying to carry it on my own.
At the end of a hardship—or even at the beginning of something new—I need to remember these moments. The heaviness, the pain, the joy, the victories… all of it is part of our learning process, and it’s there by design. My kids don’t see everything we’re going through, because that’s my role. I’m the one who needs to make sure we are aligned with God’s will and intentional with our steps.
What I know for sure is this: God leads us out of each hardship when we’re ready. That’s the key.
Am I ready?
Did I get the message?
Did I learn?
Did I lean into Him—or try to shoulder it myself?
As we move through life, the Lord has a path and a plan that brings purpose and reward. But I’ve never met anyone who walks that path perfectly. We take wrong steps. It’s part of being human.
What we will face are the Jordan rivers—the things that stand between us and where God is leading us. In Joshua, the Lord had a plan and clear direction for the Israelites to cross. It was Joshua’s leadership, faithfulness, and commitment to God’s commands that allowed them to walk through on dry ground.
That matters.
Because remembering God’s faithfulness in hard times isn’t optional—it’s essential. It’s what keeps us grounded when the next river shows up.
Joshua didn’t just celebrate on his own. He didn’t stand there pumping his arms, shouting “YES!” and move on. He brought everyone into that moment. He told them to mark it, to remember it, to recognize the Lord’s provision, and to give God the glory.
That’s leadership.
We’re going to face a lot of Jordan rivers in this life. And every time we cross one, we need to stop and remember. We need to praise God, hold onto it, and let it strengthen us for what’s ahead. That’s how remembering God’s faithfulness in hard times shapes not just us—but the people we’re leading.
Thank you, Father, for one more day. Amen.
Joshua 4:24
He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.
