Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.

(Judges 3:1, 2 ESV)

When Israel entered Canaan, God immediately gave them victory over armies and nations that were much larger and much more powerful than them. It was undeniable that God was with them, and the people all knew it. But He did not allow them to go to war against every nation; He allowed some battles to remain unfought… In Judges 3 we find out why.

God’s purpose behind allowing some of their enemies to remain, we learn, was specifically so that the generation who hadn’t crossed the Jordan or seen God’s provision in the desert, would have to fight some battles of their own. God knew that this generation also needed their own war stories.

God knew it would not be enough for them to only hear about how God had provided for and mightily used their fathers and grandfathers. He knew they needed their own, first-hand experience. They needed their own stories.

I’m thankful that the generations before mine left some battles for us to fight. It’s often through facing these kinds of impossible situations that faith and character are forged.

I needed to also be okay knowing that God is not going to allow me & my generation to fight every battle. He’s not going allow us to solve every problem.

There has to be some battles for the next generation to fight.