I LOVE the story about Gideon in Judges 6 and 7. It is one of my favorite stories. I LOVE how God tells Gideon that he is a mighty warrior and Gideon starts to tell God all about his faults. That is such a human response. God tells us something amazing and reveals his awesome plan for us and we begin to tell the Almighty God that he is wrong about us. Don’t we all do that? I know I do!!
I was reading this story again the other night. When I read the words mighty warrior, I got stuck on them. I felt God telling me that I am a mighty warrior. Really? I automatically began to scoff. God is telling me that I am a mighty warrior? Me? Does he know who he is talking about? The answer is YES! I’ve come to realize that God knows more about me than I will EVER know about myself. He can see what I am capable of much better than I can.
I identify with Gideon. Gideon couldn’t believe that God would actually be calling him to do something great, and so he asks God to do these little tasks to prove it. I have done the same thing. I have prayed in frightened tears asking God to show me if he really wants me to go on this mission trip. Just as God patiently responded to Gideon, He also patiently responded to me. EVERY single time I have fallen into doubt, God has reassured me in some way. He continually amazes me with his patience and provision.
What I love is that once God proves himself to Gideon, Gideon just steps right up and becomes a leader. Gideon just walks in his natural gift that God knew he had before Gideon knew. He gets this huge army together to go fight the enemy God told him to fight. But then God strips down Gideon’s army to only 300 men. These 300 men were up against countless numbers. 300 against COUNTLESS NUMBERS…and the Israelites WON! I believe that God made the army weak so that God could show himself STRONG!!
God reduced Gideon’s army so that there would be no doubt that the victory was only possible through God. I feel like God is doing exactly that in me right now. I have built up all of these walls and strongholds in order to defend myself against life. God is in the process of taking down the ones I built myself and replacing them with His. It is totally awesome and totally horrible at the same time. I totally believe, however, that this is a necessary part of the process of preparing me for the World Race. I am learning to stop compensating for my weaknesses and to just allow Jesus to shine through them. Just like Paul said, Christ’s power is made PERFECT in our weakness!! That has been a very difficult concept for me to grasp in my life. It is ok not to be ok. God can use me anyway. That is AMAZING to me.
God said to Gideon, “Go in the strength you have”. Gideon eventually did, and God used him in a mighty way. I often forget the even if I feel like my strength isn’t enough, God is more than enough. God just wants me to go in the strength I have. I might not feel like I have much strength, but I don’t need my own strength. Where I fall short, God will show up!! Man…that’s good stuff!!!
2 Corinthians 12: 9
9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
