Be Strong and Courageous

I've always been intrigued by the leader Joshua. He was hand picked to be Moses' personal assistant. He witnessed first hand the power of God as Moses and the Lord interacted. He stood strong in the face of overwhelming opposition as one of the 12 spies.
What intrigues me isn't the mentoring or "upbringing" that Joshua had. Instead, it is his need for solid reassurance from the Lord that he could successfully accomplish what God had ordained him to do. The first chapter of the book of Joshua brings out all the evidence we need. Three times in the space of four verses God has to remind Joshua to, "Be strong and courageous."
Frankly I don't know if God gave that admonishment as a result of Joshua's character or if it was instead simply an affirmation of the promise He gave in verse 5. That promise was simply that God would, "never leave or forsake" him. Either way, this repeated reminder of the need to remain strong seems oddly out of place for a man who is about to embark on the amazing task of leading God's people to the place that had been promised them many generations earlier.
Of course we see in the balance of the book that Joshua repeatedly leaned on God for the strength that he needed. The one time he didn't consult God about a decision became a disaster for the entire nation (see chapter 9). Regardless of that one failure, it seems to me that Joshua got the message the Lord delivered to him early in his leadership days.
I've come to believe that God's admonition to Joshua is the same one He wants us to hear. Whether we are taking on a leadership role in the church, changing jobs, moving to a new home or simply approaching a new day, He wants us to be strong and courageous. He wants us to know that because He is walking with us, every moment of every day, we can stand tall in the face of whatever challenges we face.
I'd like to be able to say that I've learned that lesson. However, every once in a while I have to go back and read those few verses in the first chapter of the book of Joshua to be reminded. Every once in a while I need to feel the hand of God as He ushers me through difficult times and events...just so I can remember that He's always there.