Judges 6:14 (NLT)
Then the Lord . . . said, "Go with the strength you have . . . I am sending you!"
Today is the National Day of Encouragement and we want to remind you, that NO MATTER what obstacle you are facing, God's promise is that He is with you.
Judges 6:14-16 (NLT)
Then the Lord turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!" "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."
Have you ever felt inadequate? Or struggled with the feeling that you were incompetent, even unqualified for the task at hand? Everyone has struggled with feelings of inadequacy. I
I can relate to feeling like I don't have what it takes. That's exactly how I felt the day my wife and I brought our first child home from the hospital. As I tried (unsuccessfully) to swaddle my daughter that night, it hit me, I was now responsible for this tiny human. I was excited, but I was also terrified. Terrified that I wouldn't be a good enough father.
At one time or another, we all struggle with feeling like we don't have what it takes.
In the Old Testament, we read the story of Gideon. God challenged him with a seemingly impossible task. Gideon gave multiple excuses similar to those we give. “I can't. I'm not trained. I don't know how.” But God responded saying "Go with the strength you have...I am sending you...I will be with you." And these are the same words God says to me and you: Go with the strength you have.
Maybe you can relate to my story of feeling inadequate as a new parent? Maybe you feel God nudging you to step-it-up with your kids? Maybe you feel like God's working on you to get more involved at your church or to start a ministry in your church or community. Perhaps God's asking you to fight for your marriage and you're worried you don't have what it takes to turn things around. Or maybe there's someone God wants you to share the Gospel with, but you don't know where to start.
I want to encourage you today to go with the strength you have. God isn't just sending you, He is going with you, walking alongside you every step of the way. Remember His promise to you: "...I will never fail you. I will never abandon you" (Hebrews 13:5, NLT).
Go in the strength you have and trust God to do the rest.
Digging Deeper:
- What excuses have you been giving to God for not doing what He has told you to do?
- What actions can you take to "go in the strength you have" this week?
