When The Lord's Ways Have You Confused Try This.

Judges 6:11-12 – The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

• The Lord's Ways Can Be Confusing

Gideon was confused. The angel of the Lord appears to him and says, "O valiant warrior." Gideon was probably looking around and thinking is He talking to me?

Gideon was anything but valiant at this time. In fact, he was just the opposite. He is hiding from the Midianites as he is threshing the wheat. 

You wouldn't expect a valiant person to be hiding. 

The Lord tells him to tear down his father's idols and because he was afraid he does it at night so that he can't be seen. Tearing down these idols under the shadow of darkness so you can't be seen doesn't sound like a valiant man to me.

• Are You Having Difficulty Understanding God's Ways? 

The angel of the Lord tells Gideon that the LORD is with him and Gideon says, "If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? 

When something has happened to you or is happening to you now that you don't understand be patient. Give God time to complete His plan.
 
Gideon didn't understand why God had allowed the Midianites to conquer the Israelites and not just once but on numerous occasions.
 
The Israelites were living in fear at this moment of the Midianites. 

• What Is Your Midianite?

So why? Why is it when we are trying to live for the Lord and do our best do we find ourselves being conquered by something? What is your Midianite? What keeps barging into your life and kicking down your strongholds?

The angel of the Lord tells Gideon that God has allowed this to happen so that He can use Gideon in a mighty way. There it is. The answer to our question in a nutshell, "Why has all of this happened?" 

It has happened so that God can use Gideon in a mighty way.

Whatever you're being challenged with today and you're not sure why God is allowing it to happen try thinking this way.

God is using you to conquer this in a mighty way.

• How Are You Thinking?

We are probably thinking like Gideon. Lord, how can You use me? My family is the least in Manasseh and I am the youngest in my family. He might also be thinking, "Really Lord, I think my older brother is really the one You want."

Excuses are the first things to come out of Gideon's mouth as to why God is wrong. 

What excuses do you use when telling God you are not ready for your trial? 

Are you too old for this? Do you lack the education? You are financially not able? Your spouse will kill you? You will get fired? Yes, too many times we are just like Gideon. God wants to use us and we want to give Him excuses.

Whatever test God is allowing to happen to you right now know this: If God brings you to it, God will get you through it.
 
Psalm 46:10 says, "Be Still and Know That I am God." In other words He wants us to relax and trust Him no matter what situation challenges us. 

• God Doesn't Make Mistakes. 

God is never wrong. God is making a statement and it is this, God has faith in us. He says, He will not give us more than we can bear. He promises to be with us during this trial and He has promised to never leave or forsake us. 
 
Now what are you waiting for, stand up and tell God you are ready to be used by Him in a "mighty way".
 
Lets go conquer our own modern day Midianites. 

Think On This:
 
There are thousands of ways of pleasing God, but none without trusting Him.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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