Daily Devotional
"So about 3,000 men went up there from the people, and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their number and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water."
Joshua 7:4-5
Fresh off their miraculous victory at Jericho, Israel approached the small town of Ai with human confidence rather than divine dependence. They conducted reconnaissance, made strategic plans, and sent what seemed like adequate forces. Everything appeared logical and well-planned. Yet they fled in defeat, their hearts melting “like water.”
The danger of spiritual victories is that they can breed self-reliance. When God works powerfully in our lives, when prayers are answered and mountains are moved, we can subtly shift from depending on God to depending on our own spiritual momentum. We begin to think we’ve “got this” rather than recognizing that we desperately need God’s presence and guidance for every step forward.
What Israel failed to do at Ai was what they had done at Jericho: seek God’s specific instructions. They assumed that a small victory required less divine involvement than a large one. But our God doesn’t work on a scale of big versus small. He works on a scale of surrender versus self-reliance.
The shock of defeat after victory can be one of God’s great mercies. It wakes us up to our need for Him before we drift too far into spiritual pride. Sometimes God allows our well-intentioned plans to fail not because He’s angry with us, but because He loves us too much to let us walk away from dependence on Him.
Today's Challenge
Think about a recent spiritual victory or answered prayer in your life. In what ways might that victory have led you toward self-confidence rather than God-confidence? Where in your current circumstances are you operating more on your own wisdom than on seeking God's guidance?
Prayer
Father, forgive me for the times when Your blessings have led me toward pride rather than deeper dependence on You. Help me remember that every victory, large or small, requires Your presence and guidance. Teach me to seek Your face not just in the big decisions but in the everyday choices. Keep me humble and dependent on You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
