Apr 12
Today’s Truth
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man” (Judges 6:15-16 NLT).
Friend to Friend
The first few times I sensed God asking me to do something out of my comfort zone, I wrestled.
I had some confidence, sort of.
Enough to get by, maybe.
Okay, not even close.
I weighed what I could do, what I did have, and what I might bring to the table. Those attributes were then outweighed as I listed what I didn’t know, what I didn’t have, and what someone else might do better.
In the book of Judges, Gideon seems to be doing the same.
His people have been under siege by the Midianites for a very long time. He’s hanging out under a tree when an angel of the Lord approaches him. The angel informs Gideon that he indeed is a warrior in God’s eyes, and that God will use him as such.
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man” (Judges 6:15-16 NLT).
Gideon lays it all out there, but then he steps into obedience. He isn’t 100% sure of what to do. He doesn’t know how this will all play out. What Gideon learned is that God wasn’t taking inventory of his weaknesses and strengths. He wasn’t asking him to do all the work. Instead, God was asking Gideon to trust Him.
A friend once told me, “Suzie, showing up is half the battle.”
I believe that. When God asks us to trust Him, He’s not asking us to place our confidence in our family history, our experience, or even our talents. Instead, He’s inviting us to partner with Him. That’s where our confidence is birthed.
As we say yes to God, our first step is to show up. We admit that we aren’t certain of what’s going to happen, but we’re open to the adventure. We understand we might fall on our face, but that we’re also going to learn. We might not do it perfectly the first time (or ever) but opening our heart to trust God is faith in action.
Have you sensed God asking you to step out of your comfort zone in your calling, in a relationship, in community? Rather than list all the pros and cons, wave your hand in the air and say yes to God. Rather than telling God all the things you are not, remind yourself of all the things God is. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the possibilities, rather than the obstacles.
As you step into new and unfamiliar territory, it won’t be easy, but it will be an adventure of faith. There will be things you already know, and ten more things that you don’t, and both are okay. God sees your obedience and that’s beautiful.
Let’s Pray
God, I’m putting down all my pros and cons to simply say yes to You. I don’t know what this trust walk will entail, but I say yes and I will show up. Thank You for inviting me to partner with You in this adventure of faith,
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Are you ready to exchange your list of “I can’t do this” for “Let’s see what God can do?”
If you’ve been mentally rehearsing the pros and cons of your own attributes, exchange that for a different list. Write down a list of God’s attributes. Circle those that will help you as you take a step of faith. Thank Him for each one.
More from the Girlfriends
In Suzie’s book, Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He leads, she invites you to explore how life changing it is when we accept Jesus’ invitation of “Come with Me.”
Suzie also offers a free downloadable chapter-by-chapter study of her book, “Come With Me,” which includes videos, graphics, and discussion starters. This is a powerful free resource for your personal or group study.
(As an Amazon Associate, Girlfriends in God earns A SMALL COMMISSION from qualifying purchases using this paid link.)
© 2022 by Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.
Yes, Adonai I have cone from behind you even to your left at times to acknowledge my rebelliousness. Going where you tell me not to or what not. I surrender today along with ally friends as a pre-approved child of yours!
Suzie, I hesitantly trusted God when I felt His persuasive call to move half way across the country! My surrender did not happen easily or quickly! Now eight years later, after surrendering, I can vividly see numerous examples of His unfolding plan! What a remarkable and faithful God we serve!
Cathy, we also moved about 8 and a half years ago, leaving everything that was familiar. We realize now it was totally the best move we could have made. It wasn’t easy and at times we were trying to figure it out as a family, but taking the step of faith was absolutely something we knew we were supposed to do. I love your heart to surrender to an unfolding plan.
It was very difficult for our family as well, but so many amazing things have happened as a result of the move. I’m so thankful that your family has seen God acting in your lives as well. Thank you Suzie!
I am in a season of unprecedented trust in God. Fear and control are the reasons why I have only visited this space. Yet, when I found myself face to face with an enemy that came for my life, I went to God in prayer. There I found that ALL He requires of me was to trust Him. It’s marvelous seeing how He moves in the big and little things. Could it be this simple? One step at a time? One foot in front of the other? Could it be so difficult? Relinquishing your own reasoning? Trusting the Holy Spirit daily,hourly? It’s so easy that it’s hard because sometimes it doesn’t make sense; but God.