Choosing Faithfulness

Joshua, a remarkable man of God who led thousands through parted waters and into the Promised Land, found himself at the end of his life with one final message to deliver. Despite all the victories and blessings the Israelites had experienced, Joshua's heart was burdened with concern that the people might drift away from God now that they were comfortable in their new land.

His powerful message reminds us of an important truth: You don't stumble into faithfulness. You choose it.

Why Do We Drift Away from God?

It's easy to assume that things will take care of themselves as long as we mean well. We think that as long as we intend to be good spouses, intentional parents, or devoted followers of Christ, everything will work out. But life doesn't work that way, and neither does faithfulness.

Drift happens when we:

  • Forget God's faithfulness to us

  • Begin to flirt with compromise

  • Get comfortable in our blessings


    • Ironically, our most dangerous spiritual seasons often aren't during hardship but during prosperity. When life is good, when there's money in the bank, when no tragedies are looming—that's when we must be most vigilant against drift.

    What Was Joshua's Warning to Israel?

    In Joshua 23, the aging leader gathered all the people and reminded them of everything God had done for them. He then issued this warning:

    "Be very strong. Be careful to obey all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Don't associate with those nations that remain among you. Don't invoke the names of their gods." (Joshua 23:6-7)

    Joshua knew the people's greatest danger wasn't external threats but internal drift. He reminded them that "not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed" (Joshua 23:14). Every promise had been fulfilled.

    But he also warned that if they violated God's covenant and served other gods, they would "quickly perish from the good land he has given you" (Joshua 23:16).

    How Do We Choose Faithfulness?

    In Joshua 24, Joshua tightened the screws. He didn't just warn them—he challenged them to choose. He reminded them that God had given them "a land on which you did not toil, and cities that you did not build" (Joshua 24:13). They were living on blessings they hadn't earned.

    Then came his famous declaration: "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

    The people quickly responded that they would never forsake God after all He had done for them. But Joshua pushed back: "You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God" (Joshua 24:19).

    Joshua wasn't trying to discourage them but to ensure they understood the commitment they were making. Serving God isn't just about enjoying His blessings—it's about covenant faithfulness even when it's difficult.

    What "Little Gods" Are Competing for Your Loyalty?

    When the people insisted they would serve God, Joshua said, "Now then, throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord" (Joshua 24:23).

    This reveals something startling: the people had already begun to drift without even realizing it. They had foreign gods among them while claiming complete loyalty to the Lord.

    What "little gods" might be competing for your loyalty?

    • The god of comfort

    • The god of control

    • The god of success

    • The god of security


      • These aren't necessarily bad things in themselves. The problem comes when these gifts from God become gods themselves—when the gift becomes more important than the Giver.

      Life Application

      As we reflect on Joshua's final message, let's examine our own lives:

      1. Are you choosing daily faithfulness, or are you coasting on past experiences with the Lord? Faithfulness isn't automatic—it requires daily choice.

      2. What "little gods" need to be removed from your life? What things are either pulling you away from God or taking His place?

      3. What would it look like for you to say, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"? This isn't just lip service but a commitment that affects every area of life.

      4. Are you living with gratitude for blessings you didn't earn? Like the Israelites, we're all "living in homes we didn't build and drinking from wells we didn't dig."


        5. The good news is that God isn't standing with His arms crossed, angry at our drift. The only thing standing between where we are and where we need to be is our willingness to run back to our heavenly Father and say, "Lord, it's You and You alone."

        Take time this week to identify any areas of drift in your life. What "little gods" need to be removed? What daily choices can you make to demonstrate that you and your household will serve the Lord?

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