In Joshua 6:1-5, God told Joshua to do something that may have seemed silly. He and his army were to walk around the city walls once a day for six days, then seven times on the seventh day. At that time, the walls would fall, and Joshua’s army would be able to storm the city.

Like me, you may feel you have been marching around the wall of a particular situation multiple times. It should have fallen by now. The question is how many net steps forward have you really made? Sometimes you may have taken two steps forward but one backward. So, although you have stepped three times, your net forward was only one.

There may be good reasons why you slipped backward when you should have been going forward. But are you aware enough to notice when you are regressing and by how much? What are you doing daily to ensure you are advancing by at least one step? If only you take just one step, it matters.

Wikipedia defines Chinese Water Torture or a “dripping machine” as a process of dripping cold water slowly onto the scalp, forehead, or face for an extended period. This causes fear and mental deterioration in the person. If it is just one drip, it matters.

Think of any beautiful structure you see like the White House, Buckenham Palace, a stadium, or a skyscraper. They were built with one brick or one wall at a time. If it was just one brick or one wall, it mattered.

Keep stepping forward around the wall between you and that goal and eventually the wall will fall.

When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city

Joshua 6:20

In November 1989, I was living in Trinidad, the day every person in the country was asked to wear something red. This was in support of the national soccer team who was to play against the United States for the final World Cup qualifying spot in Italy the following year. Although Trinidad and Tobago suffered an unfortunate loss, I remember being delighted to see the excitement on the faces of everyone in my school and on the streets before the game as well as the flood of red everywhere I turned. It was indeed a unifying event.

Then in 2011, I was already living in Dallas when the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. I had decided to watch the game with some food at a nearby restaurant. The atmosphere was spirited as there were other jubilant fans beside me, cheering on the team. I was more pleased that I got to be a part of that winning experience.

Today, I got the opportunity to visit the AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys, in their game against the Houston Texans. This was the first professional football game I attended live and the energy of the crowd in the packed stadium was electric. Although I was in a designated standing area, I was positioned well enough to be able to see the field partially. Fortunately, Dallas won, and I felt delighted that I visited on one of their triumphant days.

How quickly can you recall the thrilling memories of a couple of riveting events in your life? Reflect on them and enjoy the moment again.

This is the day which the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed that he had a dream in which every person would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. He pursued this dream because of his conviction and the clarity of this vision, despite his gloomy environment at times.

Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

We can have clarity and confidence even in darkness.

When we look around the world it may seem unrecognizable from years ago. There is unrest in the nation because of the economy and societal issues. Our communities are being developed and though this is providing needed housing, it seems to breed some woes like more traffic, pollution, and crime. Many are dealing with some type of mental health issue and use various means to cope, from food to entertainment to vices. Many feel more stressed with daily living than ever before with the seeming storm of a non-stop schedule swirling around them. Clarity seems harder to realize or maintain.

Yet we can be reminded that according to Psalm 27:1, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

In other words, because we have God, we do not need to succumb to the pressures of our environment and feel hopeless or despair. We need not lose the clarity of what is ahead of us. We can still perceive clear blue skies, today and again tomorrow.

Be encouraged today.