What Joshua 3:15–17 teaches us about timing, faith, and clarity
There’s a moment in life that many visionaries know too well.
You’ve prayed.
You’ve fasted.
You’ve sought wise counsel.
You’ve journaled until the ink ran dry.
But you’re still standing at the edge of something that feels like purpose. It’s calling you forward, but the path ahead is muddy, uncertain, and honestly, wild. You keep thinking, “God, if you’d just show me the whole plan, I’d move.”
But what if He’s already spoken—and He’s waiting on you?
The River Was Still Raging When They Stepped In
Joshua 3:15–17 isn’t one of those neat Bible moments where God makes everything look easy.
The Israelites weren’t facing a peaceful stream. The Jordan River was at flood stage. Fast. Dangerous. Swollen with the weight of what had been upstream.
And yet, that’s when God told them to move.
“And as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water… the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap far away.”
— Joshua 3:15–16, ESV
No dry ground. No confirmation. Just movement.
He told them to go forward while the water was still gushing.
Now pause and sit with that:
The miracle didn’t happen when they got there. It happened when they stepped in.
That Hit Me in the Stomach
I had to be honest with myself recently.
There are things I’ve been asking God to clear up—waiting on signs, strategies, even a checklist. But deep down, I already know what He said. I just haven’t moved. And in that moment, the Holy Spirit whispered, “I’m not being silent. You’re being still.”
That was hard to hear, but necessary. Because many of us are mistaking God’s timing for God’s hesitation. And there’s a difference.
This story shook me into a realization:
Sometimes you won’t see the evidence that God is making a way until your feet hit the edge of obedience.
What Flood-Stage Faith Looks Like in Real Life
This isn’t about being reckless or impulsive. It’s about responding to what God already said, even when the timing looks wrong on paper.
It might look like:
- Scheduling the meeting you’ve been avoiding
- Publishing the website that’s been sitting in your drafts for a year
- Having that uncomfortable but necessary conversation
- Applying, pitching, or posting before you “feel ready”
Flood-stage obedience isn’t flashy. It’s faithful.
It says, “God, I trust you enough to step before I see the dry ground.”
And listen, I get it. It’s scary. But the longer you delay, the more you risk confusing fear for wisdom.
(I said that to myself first.)
Let’s Grow Through It…
If you’re standing at your own Jordan River right now, here’s a reflection to help you get clear and move forward:
- What have I been labeling as “waiting on God” that might actually be “delaying out of fear”?
- What is the last thing God told me to do that I haven’t acted on yet?
- What does “stepping in” look like in this season—without the full blueprint?
Your next level is not about striving harder.
It’s about trusting deeper.
Because sometimes the path won’t open until you put your foot in the water.
Don’t Just Pray for the Path. Move in Faith.
You are a visionary.
And clarity often comes in motion, not in analysis.
God doesn’t need you to be perfect. He just needs you to move with Him.
So if you’ve been circling the riverbank, asking for more signs, here’s your nudge:
The water may be waiting on your foot.
He parts what needs parting. But movement? That’s on you.
Muah!
Nanette Floyd Patterson, LCMHC
Christian Therapist & Master HIScoach™
P.S. Still Holding On But Mentally Worn Out?
If you’re tired but still trying to believe… still trying to show up… still trying to carry what God gave you—this is for you.
Download the free 5-Day devotional: Cracked But Carried – When You’re Mentally Tired But Still Believing
It’s a devotional space for visionaries who feel poured out but not done.
You’re not too weak to be used. You’re not too tired to be trusted. You’re still being carried.
Give yourself room to be both human and held. And let this be your reminder: you don’t have to break down to be rebuilt. God sees you right here.
