Valley of Trouble

So I've recently started reading through the book of Joshua, and today I read chapter 7. I've heard the story before, but different things jump out at me (aka God's Spirit reveals/highlights new things) today as I focus on this chapter alone within the context of the book of Joshua and the continuing journey of the nation of Israel.

-Joshua, Israel's newly appointed leader and coming off of the victory at Jericho, was discouraged (v. 6-8) after a defeat at Ai

-God responded "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned;... Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Consecrate the people and say, Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel, 'There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.' ... And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel."

Observations:
1. Joshua did not understand and was discouraged by feelings of defeat, and he went to God. God did not take time to coddle him but responded with urgency and the explanation that he needed to act upon the core problem in Israel; once the sin issue was properly addressed and dealt with as per God's explicit instructions, God was with them and they could be victorious again.

2. God took sin very seriously there in the Valley of Achor [valley of trouble], satisfied only after the culprit and his sons and daughters and all he had were stoned and burned. A "heap of stones" were even set up in that place, presumably as a remembrance of what took place there, lest Israel should ever forget that the LORD, the JUST God whom we serve, takes sin very seriously. Its consequences are great, and we must never treat it lightly, either.

3. The Valley of Achor was a place where Israel was in Trouble because of sin; yet, even as overwhelming as their defeat had been and the discouragement and punishment that followed, God's presence had not been permanently removed from them. They were not ultimately defeated. Though the very trouble, caused by the sin of Achan, of the tribe of Judah, was very great and serious in God's sight, God was gracious and continued to fulfill His promises in and through Israel, even to the bringing of salvation to all men through a Savior born out of the same line that begat Achan, that line of Judah.

4. Joshua doesn't seem uncompassionate toward Achan and his family, yet he courageously (as per Joshua 1:1-9) follows God's orders to the letter and doesn't waver to the right or to the left of them even for the sake of compassion on one man. It is not recorded whether Joshua agreed with God's way of handling things or whether he felt good about carrying it out; this is because Joshua's feelings weren't relevant, and he recognized that. Joshua knew the important part of his role and responsibility was to trust God and obey Him--regardless of anything else--and that he did.

Wow, that's convicting. Am I courageous enough (Joshua 1:1-9) to be a Joshua? Will I take sin seriously, deal with it promptly and thoroughly, and trust and obey God, no matter how I feel--whether I feel defeated, uncertain, entitled, disappointed, frustrated, angry, and the list goes on--about my circumstances in the Valley of Trouble? If/when I don't feel courageous, will I seek God as Joshua did and tell him honestly what's going on/how I feel, and then willingly accept/submit to His instructions/commands as LORD of my life?
Will you?